Ressources

The workshop for the dissemination of the Lao Coffee Sector Development Strategy toward Northern provinces and stakeholders was help in Luang Prabang on the 30/01/2015. The event was a success regarding the massive participation of public sector from five to six provinces, and the representation of private companies or other possible investors.

Such meeting was a relevant opportunity to share information about (Lao) coffee sector and to show experience acquired in Southern provinces so far in terms of supply and value chain structure and issues, production and quality issues, identification and organization of stakeholders. One of the most outcomes was to promote CNCL’s existence and mission, particularly in the frame of further development of coffee sector in as called “non-traditional” areas.

Indeed the relatively youth of coffee industry in the North is an opportunity to set up a clear governance model among stakeholders who are starting to consider an overall management of the sector and who are not yet organized. Such situation is quite the opposite of Bolavens and surrounding areas where the CNCL and the Strategy implementation are much more confronted to decades of individual practices and where institutional framework remains confusing for economic stakeholders.

CNCL mandate takes its whole meaning in new coffee growing areas of the North, strongly marked by a lack of regulation in production and commercialization practices. Some monopolistic situations were set up without the consultation of central stakeholders, avoiding the creation of proper supply and value chains and raising risks for small farmers at mid-term. The interdiction of entry for the rest of coffee buyers harms local economies and the creation of intermediary professions, plus is out of any regulation mechanism for pricing issues. Remoteness and infrastructure increase difficulties of extension services then the application of common policies or practices.

The presentations were well received by participants and represented a good way to promote actors working in the south, like the Coffee research center who acquired amounts of technical knowledge thanks to repeated supports from international expert. Their involvement in coffee development in the North will be necessary, particularly in the identification of most suitable varieties and techniques to be applied in a different climatic and bio geographic context.