Study Finds Sustainable Coffee Production with Drip Irrigation Reduces Water Use and Carbon Footprint
13 May 2026, Israel: A new study by Orbia Netafim has found that sustainable coffee cultivation using drip irrigation can significantly reduce environmental impact while improving productivity in Robusta coffee farming.
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), conducted in Vietnam’s Dak Lak province between 2022 and 2024, evaluated the environmental performance of drip irrigation against conventional overhead sprinkler irrigation in Robusta coffee cultivation. The findings showed notable reductions in water consumption, energy use, chemical application and greenhouse gas emissions, while also improving yield performance.
Coffee remains one of the world’s most traded agricultural commodities and is cultivated across more than 10 million hectares globally. However, the sector is increasingly facing challenges linked to climate variability, water scarcity and rising production costs. The study noted that demand for sustainable coffee is increasing as consumers and global coffee companies focus more on environmentally responsible sourcing and resilient supply chains.
According to the assessment, drip irrigation improved coffee yield per hectare by more than 50 percent compared to overhead irrigation systems. The study also reported nearly 60 percent lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) and carbon footprint in drip-irrigated plantations due to lower energy consumption and more efficient use of agricultural inputs. Water consumption declined by around 56 percent, while chemical use per ton of coffee beans was reduced by 46 percent.
The company attributed these results to its Coffee Protocol, which combines irrigation and fertigation practices adapted to different climate zones, terrain conditions and coffee varieties. The protocol has been developed through field research and agronomic monitoring across coffee-growing regions in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Ram Lisaey, Head of Global Agronomy at Orbia Netafim, said coffee growers are under pressure to improve productivity while managing climate and resource-related risks. He stated that precision irrigation can help growers increase yields with lower resource consumption, contributing to long-term farm resilience and more sustainable coffee production.
The company said the latest research adds to its earlier crop-specific Life Cycle Assessment studies in corn and potato cultivation, which also demonstrated environmental benefits linked to drip irrigation technologies.
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