Kofi Co, Ltd officially inaugurated its natural coffee processing facility in Mondulkiri province's Pou Lu village, in Pech Chreada district's Bou Sra commune, on February 17, 2024.
The facility is part of Kofi's "Sustainable Coffee Price Chain Development" project, run in collaboration with the Mondulkiri Provincial Department of Agriculture and SNV – Netherlands Development Organisation – with support from the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD).
The ceremony was held in the presence of Mondulkiri Provincial Governor H.E. Thong Savon, with the Director and Deputy Director of the Provincial Agriculture Department, the Presidents of SNV and the Coffee Growers Association, and a number of farmers also in attendance.
"Today marks a significant milestone as our project progresses to another level with the establishment of this natural coffee processing facility.
"Kofi has previously collaborated with farmers, particularly through agricultural production contracts spanning two years, aiming to procure fresh coffee beans at competitive market prices, facilitate the distribution of coffee seedlings and provide training courses on coffee cultivation.
"This facility will serve as a central hub for collecting coffee yields from farmers and processing them with the highest levels of quality and efficiency," said Chhay Mony, Chief Financial Officer of Kofi.
Mondulkiri Governor H.E. Thong Savon hailed recent successes in improving livelihoods for coffee farmers in the province.
"While coffee is grown in Mondulkiri province, mostly by Bunong indigenous people, poor yields and quality – due to farmers' lack of up-to-date techniques in cultivation, care and post-harvest care – has led a lot of farmers to abandon their coffee crops.
"So the goal of Kofi's work with numerous local farmers was to improve quality and expand coffee cultivation in alignment with the demands of both national and international markets, thereby boosting productivity.
"These endeavours have ultimately resulted in better livelihoods for farmers through the cultivation of coffee," said H.E. Thong Savon.
Chhay Mony added: "The launch of this natural coffee processing facility holds immense potential for rekindling the hopes of coffee-growing farmers, spurring them to cultivate more coffee plants.
"Through fostering collaborations and providing training initiatives, both from our company and the Mondulkiri Provincial Department of Agriculture, in tandem with the expertise of foreign coffee specialists, we aim to enhance the cultivation of coffee.
"These concerted efforts seek to elevate the living standards of small-scale coffee farmers, enhance the quality of Mondulkiri coffee to meet the demands of domestic and global markets, and ultimately uplift the livelihoods of these farmers," said Chhay Mony.
For more information: www.kofi.com.kh