Pests and diseases are on the rise on Vietnam’s coffee, tea, and pepper farms, due the worsening impacts of climate change. Understandably, many farmers try to fight these crop-killing foes with large amounts of pesticides—but the fact is, such tactics can exacerbate pest infestations. When the natural enemies of pests are killed off, secondary pests can emerge. Pests can also develop resistance to agrochemicals over time.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) offers a more effective and environmentally friendly way to fight pests and diseases. But outside of Rainforest Alliance certification trainings, farmers have little access to education on the topic.
That’s why the Rainforest Alliance and the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) are working together on a three-year project in Vietnam to evaluate current pesticide usage, trainings, and the barriers farmers face in adopting IPM. Our aim is to reduce the use of agrochemicals and their negative impact on climate and biodiversity in Vietnam, in line with the country’s COP26 commitments.
Project Name
DEFRA-GAHP IPM Adoption and Pesticide Use on Coffee, Tea, and Pepper Farms in Vietnam
Location
Vietnam, in the Central highlands: Dak Lak, Lam Dong, and Dak Nong; Southeast: Binh Phuoc; and North: Tuyen Quang, and Phu Tho.
Project Period
2022-2025
Key Commodities
- Coffee
- Pepper
- Tea
Priority Issues
Climate, IPM adoption for regenerative agriculture
Partner Communities
Six Rainforest Alliance Certified farms: two coffee Certificate Holders (CHs), two tea CHs, and two pepper CHs.
Project Objectives
This project will target the use of agrochemicals on coffee, tea, and pepper farms in Vietnam with the aim of reducing negative impacts on climate and biodiversity. The Vietnamese government wants to reduce pesticide use and residue—particularly on local staples—but a lack of institutional knowledge indicates the need for further research, training, and tools. This project uses GIS tools (Geographic Information Systems) to identify hotspots for chemical use, by overlaying existing satellite datasets, with these objectives in mind:
- Develop a knowledge base on the current use of pesticides in Vietnam’s agriculture, and the associated health and environmental impacts in Vietnam.
- Define alternatives to the current use of pesticides.
- Educate select target groups about health and environmental impacts of pesticides.
- Develop and promote policies to reduce the impacts of pesticides.
- Analyze the possibility of replicating project achievements in other countries.
Funders
UK Department of Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) through the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP)
Rainforest Alliance Contact
Nguyen Tran Quyen
nquyen@ra.org
