SAFE Project Launched in Vietnam: A Sustainable Transformation of the Coffee Supply Chain

Son La & Gia Lai, Vietnam – Vietnam has officially launched the SAFE (Sustainable Agriculture for Forest Ecosystems) Project, marking a transformative step in the country’s coffee sector. This initiative, unveiled during a recent kick-off workshop, aims to align stakeholders across the coffee value chain toward a unified vision of sustainability, legality, and deforestation-free practices. 

The workshop served as a collaborative platform, enabling stakeholders from local governments, private enterprises, and farming communities to exchange ideas and agree on action plans and coordination mechanisms. The project will be implemented in two major coffee-producing provinces: Son La and Gia Lai. 

🌱 Aims of the SAFE Project in Vietnam 

Speaking at the event, Mr. Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MARD) International Cooperation Department, stressed that the SAFE Project is crucial for Vietnam’s ambition to position itself as a global leader in sustainable and legal coffee production. He emphasized that compliance with environmental and social standards is critical to enhancing competitiveness, especially in the European Union (EU) market. 

The initiative aligns with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which targets deforestation and forest degradation linked to agricultural supply chains. Among Vietnam’s key export sectors — coffee, timber, and rubber — coffee is one of the most directly affected by this new regulatory framework. 

🌍 Global Relevance, Local Action

Coffee remains one of Vietnam’s top agricultural exports, with a record USD 5.6 billion in export revenue in 2024. The EU is a major consumer of Vietnamese coffee, making EUDR compliance a priority. 

The SAFE Project supports 8,000 coffee farming households through technical training focused on sustainable practices, climate adaptation, forest protection, and traceability systems. It will also enhance local and central coordination by working with EUDR Joint Working Groups, creating platforms for dialogue, and sharing information widely. 

Ms. Kristina Bünde, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Vietnam, affirmed the EU’s commitment to the project, emphasizing its goals of climate responsibility, biodiversity conservation, and the protection of forest-dependent communities. She also highlighted the inclusion of gender equality and support for vulnerable groups to ensure a just transition. 

📘 Key Project Deliverables: 

• Training Programs: Technical capacity building for public and private sector personnel, including Training of Trainers (ToT) and Training of Farmers (ToF) modules with EUDR integration.
• Digital Traceability Systems: Pilot programs for farm registration and digital tracking of coffee production.
• PPP Models: Six public-private partnerships will be developed to strengthen EUDR compliance and market connectivity.
• Guideline Documents: Three documents integrating gender and social elements into EUDR compliance frameworks.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Multi-stakeholder dialogues at both provincial and national levels to implement sustainable action plans.

🌐 A Global Effort 

The SAFE Project is a multi-country initiative that spans ten nations, including Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, DRC, Ecuador, Indonesia, Peru, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia. It provides technical assistance, strengthens institutional capacities, enhances traceability systems, and fosters reliable, equitable partnerships across the agricultural value chains. 

In Vietnam, the project aims to drive sustainable growth in one of the world’s most important coffee-producing countries while ensuring that progress on economic fronts does not come at the cost of the environment or vulnerable communities.

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