Contribution of the systems thinking approach to reduce production cost and improve the quality of Vietnamese coffee

The current trend of increasing cost and declining quality in coffee production has prompted concern among producers because of its potential implication for reducing the competitiveness of their products. The aim of this study is to identify the factors that directly affect production cost and quality of coffee cherries. In this study, a systems thinking approach using causal loop diagrams has been applied to increase the quality and reduce the production cost of coffee in order to enhance the competitiveness of coffee production in the international market. A causal loop model of coffee production in Vietnam integrating cost, quality and coffee cultivation has been developed to identify key leverage points where systemic interventions will be most effective to reduce production cost as well as increase the quality of coffee cherries.