The Doi Chaang Coffee Acadamy

Using their own resources and initiative, the farmers of Doi Chang Village have built a Coffee Academy to educate coffee farmers in

the surrounding region on cultivation and processing methods. Additionally, they are instructed in the benefit of personal health, education and finance for themselves and their families.

The farmers are also being further educated on the benefits of cultivating their coffee under the canopy of shade trees. This allows coffee cultivation to expand without any negative impact on the environment. With clear-cut sections from past crop productions now being filled with a variety of fruit and nut trees, bushes and plants, coffee cultivation will expand within the natural setting and continue to receive the benefits of growing under the protection of a forest canopy. Along with increased productivity, these cultivation methods will continue to provide sustainable agriculture as the canopy allows for the cultivation of various crops which not only provide food, but are also sold to help to support and diversify the community's economy.

With the success of Doi Chaang Coffee, younger generations of Doi Chang farmers are now being taught the necessary skills to produce high quality Arabica to ensure both the longevity of their coffee company and the financial stability of their community. As the farmers increase quality and productivity, their income and overall standard of living will continue to improve. Currently, high quality Arabica seedlings from various regions of the world are being cultivated in selected areas of the plantation. These "coffee experiments" are being conducted to see which type of Arabica plant best responds to the Doi Chang region, climate, soil and more specifically, which areas of the plantation produce the best tasting bean.

Due to this success, in 2007, Doi Chaang Coffee constructed a more substantial facility, including accommodations for the student farmers who eagerly attend after witnessing the increased productivity of their neighbours. The facility has 57 pillars, representing the number of Akha families living in the Doi Chang region, making it the largest Akha house in the world.

So far over 1,000 farmers have been educated at the Academy and the benefit is already reflected in improved productivity and personal well-being of the villagers. As with all their other facilities, the Academy has been built solely from the profits made from their coffee company. All the farmers from the Doi Chang area are invited to attend the Academy at no cost.

With the goal of providing education on all aspects of cultivation and processing, "Doi Chaang Academy of Coffee" is investing in both its people and the future of Doi Chaang Coffee.