HELLO,
MY NAME IS MR. KIKEO.
I COME FROM HOUAY WAY VILLAGE, LAOS.
My Family, OTHER FAMILIES GREW THE COFFEE YOU ARE NOW DRINKING, FOR
OUR FAMILIES GROW COFFEE JUST LIKE WE HAVE
FOR OVER A 100 YEARS:
IN A FOREST, UNDER THE CANOPY OF A DIVERSE MIX OF TREES
IN THE PHOTO, YOU CAN SEE ONE OF OUR FARMS. THIS IS A GENTLE AND NATURAL WAY OF GROWING COFFEE.
[BY THE WAY, THE SCIENTIFIC TERM FOR THIS IS 'AGROFORESTRY'
HERE ARE SOME FACTS FOR YOU ABOUT OUR FARMS:
WE OWN A TOTAL OF
70 HA
OF COFFEE FARMS BETWEEN
61 FAMILIES
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF
21 034 TREES
GROWING IN OUR FARMS,
WHICH WE PRESERVE
YOU CAN FIND
88 TREE SPECIES
INCLUDING 10 ENDANGERED
SPECIES LIKE SIAMESE ROSEWOOD
GROWING COFFEE IS HARD BUT REWARDING WORK, AND THANKS TO OUR COOPERATION WITH COOR, IT IS WORTH IT.
BEFORE, WE WERE VULNERABLE TO THE
CONSTANTLY CHANGING GLOBAL COFFEE PRICES.
IN ADDITION, WE OFTEN HAD TO SELL OUR COFFEE TO
MIDDLE-MEN, LEAVING US WITH VERY LITTLE.
NOW, WE ALL EARN FAIR, STABLE AND TRANSPARENT PRICES FOR OUR TRADE, AND EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER BENEFITS LIKE AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL FUND.
OUR MISSION IS TO GROW GREAT COFFEE, AND PROTECT THE FORESTS AND NATURE OF LAOS.
ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE HERE IN HOUAY WAY; – WE HOPE YOU ENJOY!
– MR KIKEO, FOR