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COMMUNITY

Support for Small-Scale Agribusinesses

In my role in the Myanmar Coffee Association (MCA) I develop Myanmar coffee farmers in every aspect of agricultural practices. This has a lead-on benefits to the entire community and the coffee industry at large.

Other community and industry support:

  • I donate coffee seedlings and silver oaks shade trees to small farmers and people interested in growing coffee

  • I participated in the entire USAID VCRD project from 2015–2019

  • MCA holds coffee cupping competitions every year with certificates to sustain farming interest and confidence in producing specialty green beans

  • As [former] Chairman of MCA, I hosted meetings/visits to coffee production areas for knowledge sharing. We had local SMEs, governmental departments, and international visitors discussing GAP and other practices. I developed field trips for students to encourage the younger generations

  • Shwe Yi Mon constructed a small bridge, main village road, built two pagodas and one monastery

  • We donated outlets connecting PVC pipe lines to get clean water from outside the village water source to a reservoir built in the middle of the village 

  • We donated tube well and water pump to our farm’s village monastery, and furniture for the village meeting room

  • The company gave initial funding to launch a transformer for electricity in the village.

  • We donate food and other goods on special religious days every year. I am always ready to help villagers whenever they ask for any kind of help

As a board member of MCA, I help coffee farmers in managing land and other coffee development projects. We have four major phases: cultivating, processing, roasting, and consumption. Each phase has environmental, social, economic and governance issues that affect the future sustainable development.

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Drip Irrigation

In 2019, with 80% funding from the Responsible Business Fund (RBF), Denmark, we launched a drip   irrigation system to use water efficiently. We could reduce the intensive labour cost of watering coffee plants manually, moving those workers to other processes.

 

We saved water usage and production and electricity costs. We also saved more coffee plants from dying due to lack of water.

 

 By using a dripping irrigation system, our product quality became balanced, adding value at the next processing stages. It generated much more income as our coffee progressed to premium class and export quality.

There is a huge, invaluable effect to the natural environment as the whole system changes to sustainable irrigation. The consecutive benefit of growing coffee will be afforestation; creation of new forest as our farm is on agriculture land and a previously unforested area.

 

There is fast depletion of forest and widespread deforestation in Pyin Oo Lwin region. Creating a successful coffee plantation with an efficient drip irrigation system had the greatest macro impact on the environment.

 

Our coffee plantation can be an identification of pride in the industry. Employees can get satisfaction and skills in using advanced technology facilities and new processing methods. The reduction in physical work makes employees' working life more comfortable.

 

We are proud that Shwe Yi Mon coffee plantation is a role model to nearby farms.

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Solar Domes

In 2019, we also launched three units of solar dryer domes with 42 units of two level, metal raised beds to dry cherries.

 

Sun drying is essential for coffee bean production in any method of processing. All coffee processors in Myanmar use a sun-drying method in open air which is labour intensive.

 

The development of solar domes improve efficiency and create job opportunities. Solar dryer domes definitely increased our incomes, encouraging further investment and increased efficiency in the whole agricultural sector.

 

Shwe Yi Mon’s prosperity and the development of our operations has definitely impacted the community by creating jobs and promoting our role as an important partner.

 

We take considerable pride and joy as a coffee processor in the production of good and hygienic coffee which should always be our greatest asset. Myanmar is a new entrant in the international market, and we aim to increase awareness of Myanmar specialty coffee as second to none.

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