Coffee Farming in Vietnam Devours Half a Million Acres of Forest, Threatening Rare Species with Extinction

A new report from the nonprofit organization Coffee Watch reveals that coffee farming in Vietnam’s Central Highlands has led to the clearing of nearly half a million acres of dense forest since 1990 – an area the size of Luxembourg. The region, once home to tigers, elephants, and monkeys, has lost most of its biodiversity, with wild tigers now completely gone and elephant populations at critical levels.

The findings come as Vietnam ranks as the world’s second-largest coffee producer after Brazil, and the leading producer of Robusta beans used in most instant coffee, accounting for roughly 40% of the global market. The report indicates that forest cover in the Central Highlands has shrunk by one-third, while coffee cultivation has expanded fourteenfold over a single generation.

Collapse of Biodiversity and the Disappearance of the ‘Asian Unicorn’

The report, which relied on satellite imagery and historical records, documents that provinces such as Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Gia Lai have experienced widespread forest destruction. While deforestation rates have slowed in recent years, this is largely because little forest remains to clear. Evidence points to the extinction of wild tigers in the region, a sharp decline in elephant populations, and the likely extinction of the saola — a rare antelope known as the “Asian unicorn.”

Groundwater Depletion and Soil Degradation Threaten Coffee’s Future

Beyond forest destruction, the report reveals that intensive irrigation has lowered the region’s water table, forcing farmers to drill wells as deep as 150 feet. Heavy chemical use has depleted soils, placing farmers on a “nutrient treadmill” where they must apply ever more fertilizer and pesticide to maintain yields. The report concludes that the “production system is eroding the ecological foundations on which it depends.”

Increasing drought linked to climate change is already creating bean shortages, which contributed to record-high coffee prices last year. Scientists warn that half of the region’s coffee acreage could become unviable by mid-century, potentially driving further deforestation and higher prices.

Experts: “We Are Drinking the Earth with Every Cup”

Etelle Higonnet, founder and director of Coffee Watch, said: “Most people are good people; they’d never dream of going to Starbucks and ordering a latte plus a dead elephant. But that’s basically what we’re doing. We’re raping and poisoning the planet with every cup we drink.” She added: “If this system collapses, shock waves will be felt in every supermarket and every café.”

Higonnet called for increased pressure on major coffee buyers to green their supply chains, noting that about 20% of global coffee production is now grown through sustainable agroforestry practices that combine reforestation with production.

Coffee’s Impact Is Smaller Than Meat’s – But It’s Not Innocent

Despite the devastating impact of coffee farming in Vietnam, data shows that coffee accounts for only about 1% of global deforestation caused by agriculture. In contrast, cattle alone causes 40% of deforestation, while soy and oil palm contribute 18%. Pastures now cover an area twice the size of South America, while the United States uses about half its agricultural land to produce beef, which provides only 3% of its calories.

Environmental writer and analyst Michael Grunwald notes that drinking a cup of coffee every morning contributes to global warming roughly as much as driving a gasoline car 100 miles, while emphasizing that meat’s impact is far larger.

Calls for Agroforestry, Reduced Meat Consumption

The report urges adoption of more sustainable farming practices, such as agroforestry — growing coffee under tree shade — and developing new drought-resistant and climate-resilient coffee varieties, as Nestlé is currently doing. Environmental organizations also call on governments to encourage farmers to use less irrigation water and fertilizer, and to ban imports of coffee grown on recently deforested land.

Experts argue that the real lesson from the transformation of Vietnam’s Central Highlands is not that coffee is uniquely damaging, but that everything we consume causes environmental harm, and the true solution lies in reducing global meat consumption, especially in wealthy nations.

Frequently Asked Questions About Coffee’s Environmental Impact