11 - SOFT Coffee - Thailand 2024

In Omkoi, the primary livelihood for villagers involves cultivating annual crops like cabbage and tomatoes, necessitating forest clearing and extensive chemical use. Encouraging villagers to adopt coffee cultivation offers an alternative that supports forest conservation, as coffee thrives under shaded conditions without requiring forest clearance. However, successful implementation requires not only planting but also effective processing and marketing to ensure ongoing sustainable development. This forms the foundation of the Save Omkoi Forest and Traditional Coffee Farm (SOFT Coffee Farm) project.
We aim to establish a model for the community, demonstrating that coffee cultivation can contribute to forest conservation while fostering career opportunities and income generation. Additionally, we purchase fresh coffee cherries from local growers; however, we currently lack processing capabilities and market channels. Our farm serves as a hub for sharing processing knowledge with interested parties and promotes collaboration within the community.
Continuous development of coffee knowledge is integral to our operations, encompassing ongoing studies in processing techniques and sensory evaluation to ensure the quality of our coffee. Central to our approach is treating coffee preparation akin to cooking for our family—it must be flavorful, clean, and safe, with a primary emphasis on hygiene.