Doi Chaang: Balance Between Coffee, Forest and Community

Abstract

Doi Chang Village is in Wawee, Chiang Rai, on the mountain peak, near the source of a river and the home of hill tribes; Akkha, Lisu. In the past, swidden agriculture was practiced, resulting in forest clearance and natural resource depletion. In 1969, His Majesty the King Rama IX initiated a project for local communities in order to decrease opium production and swidden cultivation. With various projects, the hill tribe farmers have been encouraged to grow cash crops with perennials; they began to grow Arabica coffee. Until now, the area devoted to ​​Arabica coffee cultivation was 30,000 Rai, including the forest that had become fertile again. In 1990, a company was established under the name “Doi Chaang Coffee Original Company Limited”. Later, it developed into a world class coffee brand. The company developers have been accepted in the business and local communities, due to changes in cultivation habits and in forestation.

Sukkamon Thepin was a typical Doi Chaang Akha teenager and worked in his family organic coffee farm. He was fond of farming activities; however, he saw an opportunity for a CBT or Agrotourism or “coffee tourism”. Doi Chaang Academy would be an attraction, excluding beautiful nature, coffee farm and friendly community. Sukkamon needed to scrutinize the social-economic and environmental impact, and community acceptance. Since Sukkamon’s family was a member of the company, on 30 June 2020, he would need to present his idea to the company board and some community members to get funds for developing coffee tourism.