We began buying this coffee from the Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Cooperative, “CPC” for short, in 2015 and have reserved annual commitments for this coffee ever since. We look forward to the arrival of this coffee each year and it feels extra special this year because Megan and Melissa visited the CPC cooperative headquarters in Pakse, Lao, in person back in February 2024. Melissa tells us a bit more about their unforgettable trip
Flying into Pakse was a surreal experience. The airplane all of a sudden took a swift left lean and we were carving around a high peaked mountain and headed straight into a descent of what seemed like a very dry valley. The prop plane was whizzing and all of a sudden an everlasting stretch of brown river came into view - the mighty mighty Mekong River, the 12th longest in the world. And presumably on the roads leading up the mountainside, were the beautiful Lao coffee trees almost near the end of harvest.
A slideshow at the CPC headquarters taught us these facts and figures on their cooperative community:
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707 families of coffee small holders (average 3.93 hectare per farming family)
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37 groups of producers
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38 employees of CPC
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38 collective wet processing centers
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1 dry mill
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2,755 hectares of Arabica coffee plantation
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770 hectares of Robusta coffee plantation
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15.9 hectares of plantations owned by CPC for research and development, coffee nurseries, new varietal experimentation
Fair trade coffee premiums have aided the farmers of CPC immensely. From these premiums, the CPC Coop has 100% funded the building of 12 new schools, 4 since 2020, a health clinic, and several donations to the health sector. In addition, CPC has funded 15 new well-drillings and the distribution of 222 water filters to 42 schools. Access to microfinance has also been a huge benefit to the coffee community with group credit funds.
We learned about some of the challenges that face the CPC Coop including income diversification, competition with new emerging markets, and decrease in production.
One of the more remarkable discoveries was found in the village of Dong Choy, where we witnessed the last of the harvest drying on raised beds. We had no clue this was how CPC dried its coffee! Coffee dried on raised beds keeps the fruit’s embryo intact and this is why Laotian coffee has a heightened sweetness. Huge connection here for quality and the well balanced tasting profile we look forward to each season.
What many do not know about this county is that between 1963-1974 Laos became victim to the heaviest bombardment on record. For 9 years the United States dropped bombs every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day over the territory of Lao. All to fight the Secret War in the fear of the spread of communism and to cut off supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh trail. The UXO (unexploded ordnance) impact is still present for the people who farm there, the majority of the population. And of the 9 years of bombs dropped, over 30% still have not detonated.
An excerpt from Taryn Sebba, Legacies of War Intern Emeritus, Mines Action Fellow, Titus and Linda Peachey Peace Fellow 2023-2024: "The complexity of this issue and its indiscriminate impacts are difficult to grasp without visiting Laos. UXO contamination pervades both the physical and social landscapes. We heard stories of bombs found in trees, moving great distances during the rainy season, and creating craters across the country. Bombs lying unsuspected for half a century could be set off, further complicated by climate change. Through engagement with various community organizations and partners, we also discovered a concerning pattern: cooking fires, both in homes and schools, were inadvertently shifted by mere inches, triggering unexpected and fatal explosions. Socially, we learned that all elementary schools in Laos provide Mine Risk Education (MRE). We heard songs and played with puppets created for children to learn about these dangers. We saw shell casings repurposed as boats, missiles as fence posts, and "pineapple" cluster bombs used as ashtrays. Live cluster munitions continue to be found in land and water, in schools and gardens, necessitating constant vigilance. The presence of these deadly remnants means that mines have to be taught about in schools, discussed regularly in communities, and considered in daily life, profoundly shaping the social fabric and limiting the freedom of the Laotian people.”
Less visible is the impact of UXO on progress as a country: Laos is categorized as one of the least developed countries in the world. We learned about the underdevelopment of Laos’ water systems threatening health and development. For example, Laos’ rice fields are less productive than neighboring Vietnam’s, in part due to the lack of water systems to regularly flood the fields. Water systems can’t be constructed when bombs lie in the way. At a household scale, UXO injuries can be economically detrimental; individuals may be unable to work and provide for their families, and many hospitals don’t have nurses, requiring families to take time off or quit their jobs to care for their injured loved ones.
Since we have returned from our trip to Lao we are in touch with a group called Legacies of War (legaciesofwar.org) where we hope to make a donation in the form of roasted Lao coffee annually to help support this organization with educational work and fundraising. Their online library, podcast (legaciesofwar.org/podcast), and classroom (legaciesofwar.org/khao-niew-s-classroom) are incredible resources to learn more about the country and the importance of UXO removal and education work.
Megan and Melissa had a life changing visit to Laos and were welcomed by the kindest people. In the mission of visiting a trading partner, we learned so much more and also re-committed to the importance of buying this coffee, which just so happens to be phenomenal, and one of our favorite roasts the past couple of years. We hope you enjoy this cup and we thank you for supporting the fair trade relationship coffee that we are so proud to offer.
