SON LA
Detech Coffee
Detech Coffee: Equality and progress in coffee production
Detech Coffee is a cooperative actively advocating for gender equality, innovation, and sustainability in coffee production. Led by the visionary Ngoc Anh, they embody impressive progressiveness. After a two-year partnership, we visited Detech in Son La for the first time at the end of 2023. Situated at an altitude of around 900 metres, Son La is surrounded by the rugged mountains that characterise the north-western Vietnamese highlands. Around 60 kilometres from the Laotian border, members of the Taidam community grow coffee in small villages under challenging living conditions. Only in recent years have the first producers managed to achieve speciality quality with their coffees.
IWCA’s role in empowering female coffee farmers in Son La
The International Coffee Women Alliance (IWCA) has supported farmers not only with equipment and organic fertilisers, but also with training on safety in the workplace and financial education. The work of IWCA fosters a sense of appreciation for their demanding work under challenging conditions. The knowledge of being part of something greater motivates the farmers who strive for a secure future for their children and more comfortable living conditions.
Innovation and climate change: Detech’s path to speciality coffee
Detech Coffee, a large-scale operation, has successfully established itself in the market with commercially produced Catimor coffee. The created infrastructure now also enables the production of specialty coffee, which is increasingly in demand. Not only that, but changing climatic conditions require innovative approaches.
Agroforestry: Detech’s contribution to diversity and sustainability
Detech actively supports farmers in planting new varieties and provides them with shade trees. Over 100 hectares now host coffee plants of Centro Americano, Starmaya, and Marsallisa varieties. Mr. Quyet, an experienced agroforestry engineer with six years at the Nomafsi research center in Son La, plays a crucial role. The intercropping of coffee with macadamia, longan, durian, banana plants, bamboo shrubs, and apricot trees is an environmentally friendly yet profitable alternative to monoculture. In this ecosystem, essential nutrients and water resources are stored in the soil, providing habitat for birds and insects. Multi-cropping allows the female farmers to generate additional income by selling the fruits they produce in the market.
Partnership and development: Our collaboration with Detech Coffee
The transformation of Detech’s entire production into a sustainable flagship project is undoubtedly a lengthy process. We are excited to embark on this journey together with Detech. Since January 2024, we have officially partnered with IWCA Vietnam, sending a clear message through our purchase of coffee that represents the collaborative efforts of IWCA and Detech toward a fairer and more inclusive supply chain. Our goal is to strengthen the region and its people, accompany them on their path towards sustainable specialty coffee, and actively contribute to promoting their development.
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