Key Takeaways
- A new Life Cycle Assessment commissioned by Orbia Netafim found that drip irrigation in Robusta coffee cultivation reduces the carbon footprint and global warming potential of coffee plantations by nearly 60% compared to overhead sprinkler irrigation.
- The three-year study (2022–2024), conducted in Dak Lak province, Vietnam, also found drip irrigation supports more than 50% higher yield per hectare.
- Water use was reduced by approximately 56%, and chemical use per ton of coffee beans dropped by 46% under drip irrigation.
- The findings are underpinned by Orbia Netafim's Coffee Protocol, a set of agronomic best practices for irrigation and fertigation developed over six decades of field research.
- The study adds to an existing body of LCA research from Orbia Netafim covering corn and potato cultivation, reinforcing the environmental case for precision irrigation across multiple crops.
Drip Irrigation Cuts Coffee's Carbon Footprint, Boosts Yield
Orbia Netafim, the precision irrigation business of Orbia Advance Corporation (BMV: ORBIA*) and the global leader in precision irrigation solutions, has published findings from a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) showing that drip irrigation delivers substantial environmental and productivity gains in Robusta coffee cultivation. The certified study was conducted over a three-year period from 2022 to 2024 in Dak Lak province, Vietnam – one of the world's largest coffee-producing regions – and compared drip irrigation against the overhead sprinkler method commonly used in Robusta farming.
Coffee is grown on more than 10 million hectares worldwide and supports millions of smallholder farmers across Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Central America. The sector faces increasing strain from climate volatility, water scarcity, and rising input costs, while record Robusta prices are pushing growers into new regions where irrigation is essential to sustain viable yields. Growing consumer demand for sustainably sourced coffee is adding further pressure on farmers and large producers to improve environmental performance across supply chains.
What the Study Found
The LCA evaluated environmental impacts across the full cultivation cycle, covering water and energy use, fertilizer and crop protection inputs, and yield performance. The results across all four key metrics favored drip irrigation by a significant margin:
- Yield: Drip irrigation supported more than 50% higher yield per hectare, enabling farmers to produce more with fewer resources.
- Carbon footprint: Global warming potential was reduced by nearly 60%, driven by lower energy consumption and more efficient input use.
- Water use: Water consumption per ton of coffee beans produced was reduced by approximately 56% compared to overhead irrigated plantations.
- Chemical use: Drip irrigation resulted in a 46% reduction in chemical use per ton of coffee beans.
“Coffee growers today face mounting pressure to increase productivity while managing water scarcity, climate volatility, and rising input costs. Through decades of collaboration with farmers and leading coffee producers, Orbia Netafim has developed proven solutions that deliver more yield with fewer resources, reducing carbon footprints, cutting water use, and strengthening long-term farm resilience. This Life Cycle Assessment reinforces what we see on the ground every day: precision irrigation is a practical, scalable pathway for coffee growers and companies to achieve supply chain resilience, advance their ESG targets and bring more sustainably grown coffee to market,” said Ram Lisaey, Head of Global Agronomy at Orbia Netafim.
The Coffee Protocol Behind the Results
The outcomes are grounded in Orbia Netafim's Coffee Protocol, a comprehensive framework of agronomically validated best practices for irrigation and fertigation. Tailored to specific climate zones, terrains, and coffee varieties, the Protocol was developed over six decades of global field research, cross-country collaboration, and continuous monitoring through advanced digital farming platforms.
Orbia Netafim has established partnerships with coffee companies and their supplier farmers across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa, providing agronomic expertise and irrigation protocols that align with quality standards, environmental commitments, and market expectations.
Part of a Broader LCA Research Portfolio
The coffee study is the latest addition to Orbia Netafim's crop-specific Life Cycle Assessment research program. Previously published studies demonstrated comparable environmental benefits of drip irrigation in corn and potato cultivation. Together, this growing body of evidence is intended to support the broader industry transition toward more resilient and resource-efficient agricultural supply chains as climate variability continues to challenge growing regions worldwide.
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