Journey of "Knowledge of growing and processing coffee"...

The 2025 international scientific conference - forum on “Global coffee industry value chain - Global, local and sustainable development” not only discussed the global coffee industry value chain, but also aimed at sustainable development associated with cultural identity and indigenous knowledge.

Coffee, a strategic crop and the pride of Dak Lak people

This international scientific conference - forum took place on December 5 and 6 at the World Coffee Museum, Buon Ma Thuot Ward, Dak Lak Province, organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak Province, Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, UNESCO, Yunnan University (China), sponsored by Trung Nguyen Group Joint Stock Company. The conference attracted a large number of managers, scientists, experts, businesses and organizations at home and abroad.

Associate Professor, Dr. Lam Nhan, Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture delivered the opening speech at the conference.

In his opening speech at the workshop, Associate Professor, Dr. Lam Nhan, Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, said that coffee is a strategic industrial crop, the pride of Dak Lak and the Central Highlands. However, this is also a crop with specific ecological requirements and is very sensitive to climate change. At the same time, the expansion of coffee acreage over the past many years has created immediate economic benefits, but also raised important issues such as whether to continue expanding the acreage or to shift to improving quality, increasing value, improving processing technology and value chain management?

Therefore, the workshop is not only a scientific forum but also an opportunity to create a new vision for the development of the Vietnamese coffee industry in the global value chain; to discuss coffee heritage, from knowledge of planting, care, processing to the culture of enjoyment; about industry, technology, coffee brands; about social responsibility, environmental protection, natural resource recovery, sustainable development. In particular, the workshop also has an important meaning in the process of building the dossier "Knowledge of planting, processing and enjoying coffee in the Central Highlands" to submit to UNESCO for inclusion in the List of Good Practices for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage . This is a great opportunity to honor indigenous knowledge, increase the value of the Vietnamese coffee brand and affirm the contribution of the Central Highlands in the world cultural heritage map.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak province Tran Hong Tien spoke at the workshop.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak province Tran Hong Tien said: Buon Ma Thuot is the “heart” of the Vietnamese coffee industry , which has long left a strong mark on the world coffee map. Dak Lak Robusta coffee beans are not only an agricultural product, but also a symbol of a unique culture; a crystallization of knowledge, experience and creativity that the ethnic communities of the Central Highlands have cultivated, preserved and passed down through many generations.

Dak Lak province aims to promote the value of coffee heritage in the direction of harmoniously combining green economy - sustainable agriculture, agricultural - cultural tourism, creative ecosystem and cultural industry, while honoring community knowledge and improving people's livelihoods. This orientation is consistent with UNESCO's philosophy of "community-based conservation - heritage-based development - culture-based sustainability". In particular, in the context of increasingly complex climate change, traditional farming techniques such as intercropping, water-saving irrigation, regenerative farming, etc. become valuable sources of knowledge to help communities adapt effectively.

Beginning the journey to become an intangible cultural heritage of humanity

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak province Tran Hong Tien said: Currently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is submitting to the Prime Minister for consideration and permission for the province to establish a scientific dossier on the intangible cultural heritage " Knowledge of growing and processing coffee in Dak Lak " to submit to UNESCO for inclusion in the List of Good Practices for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is an important milestone demonstrating the attention of the Party, State and Government to the preservation and promotion of the value of Vietnam's coffee cultural heritage, in which Dak Lak plays a central role.

Dak Lak province is building a dossier "Knowledge of growing and processing Dak Lak coffee" to submit to UNESCO for inclusion in the List of Good Practices for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This is the first workshop marking an important first step in the journey to build the Profile “Knowledge of growing and processing coffee in Dak Lak” to submit to UNESCO for inclusion in the List of Good Practices for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. However, the Organizing Committee of the workshop received 67 rich presentations, covering many fields from economics, society, culture, anthropology, heritage to processing technology, global value chain and sustainable development.

At the workshop, delegates focused on discussing important contents such as: The process of cultural exchange and assimilation through coffee; the localization of coffee practices in the integration period; positioning coffee heritage in socio-economic development and tourism; solutions to preserve and promote local knowledge in planting, caring, processing and enjoying coffee... Especially the approach to coffee from the perspective of intangible cultural heritage, with the goal of highlighting the global value of the heritage while still preserving local identity, the core element that makes up the vitality of the Central Highlands culture...

According to experts, knowledge of growing and processing coffee in Dak Lak is not only passed down through many generations as understanding and skills associated with customs, ethics, and social behavior, but is also crystallized in stories about the journey of growing and processing coffee - a place where tradition and global culture intersect. Thereby, forming memories and common identity for the community, contributing to conveying values and cultural norms, while promoting sustainable development, creating livelihoods and ensuring social security.

Coffee knowledge practices are not only limited to the cultivation or processing process, but also contain core values that connect communities, enhance dialogue, strengthen social structures and foster a spirit of solidarity between generations and regions. Therefore, coffee is not only an agricultural product or a popular drink, but also a cultural symbol, the crystallization of labor, creativity and the soul of the people of Dak Lak in particular and the Central Highlands in general.

In the process of exchange and integration, indigenous knowledge about coffee has been forming a rich system of cultural values, where people find empathy, community awareness and pride in identity, while opening up spaces for exchange, sharing knowledge and emotions between cultures. From there, coffee becomes a catalyst for dialogue, creativity and development, contributing to building a green, inclusive and sustainable culture, a new direction affirming Vietnam's position in preserving, honoring and promoting contemporary cultural heritage.

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Ngoc Diep from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City National University, assessed: The heritage of coffee in Buon Ma Thuot takes place in the context of Dak Lak holding the central position of the Vietnamese coffee industry. In that context, associating coffee with “heritage” and “local identity” is not only a cultural choice, but also a strategy to upgrade value in the global value chain. However, to move towards sustainable development, it is necessary to have a community-based heritage model, in which local residents are empowered to participate in the process of identifying, managing and benefiting from heritage. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain a balance between performance for tourism and cultural authenticity to ensure that coffee is both an economic resource and continues to be a living cultural material of the Central Highlands.

Traditional coffee processing of the Ede people.

After 2 days of serious, urgent and scientific work, the 2025 International Workshop - Forum on "Global Coffee Industry Value Chain - Global, Local and Sustainable Development" was a great success. "The workshop is not only a scientific forum to share international knowledge and experience in the global coffee industry value chain, but also an important first step in the process of building a dossier to submit to UNESCO to inscribe "Knowledge of growing and processing Dak Lak coffee" in the List of Good Practices for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Through the workshop, there are more creative ideas and effective development strategies, contributing to making Dak Lak coffee a global symbol of living heritage, a green and sustainable economy, creating stable livelihoods and improving the lives of people in the province", comrade Tran Hong Tien shared.

During the workshop, delegates also experienced Coffee Zen, interacted with cultural entities that practice this heritage well at coffee farms, explored the World Coffee Museum and learned about 3 Coffee Civilizations: Ottoman, Roman, Zen...

This conference and forum is also a bridge between heritage and contemporary creativity, contributing to positioning Dak Lak - the "capital" of Vietnamese coffee on the global map of cultural heritage and creative industries.

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