Partnership to promote regenerative agriculture and sustainable growth of Thailand’s coffee industry
Nestlé (Thai) Ltd. and the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage (MFLF) have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop quality coffee varieties and promote sustainable coffee cultivation in northern Thailand and other suitable areas.
The partnership will transfer knowledge of coffee cultivation based on regenerative agriculture practices, helping farmers produce high-quality crops, adapt to climate change and build opportunities for stable incomes while protecting the environment.
The collaboration ultimately seeks to support the sustainable growth of Thailand’s coffee industry.
Mr. Victor Seah, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé Indochina, said Nestlé had worked with the Doi Tung Development Project in Chiang Rai since 1989, focusing on research into coffee varieties at an experimental farm in the Doi Tung area.
Working in alignment with the royal development initiative enabled Nestlé to develop coffee varieties suited to cultivation in northern Thailand, he said.
“This partnership marks another important step in jointly strengthening the potential of Thai coffee production from the upstream level,” Mr. Seah said.
“We will develop quality coffee varieties suited to different growing areas while promoting regenerative agriculture practices that protect and restore the environment sustainably.
“High-quality coffee seedlings and cultivation knowledge will be provided to farmers in different communities, creating opportunities for Thai coffee growers to earn stable incomes.”
Mr. Seah said the initiative was consistent with Nestlé’s business philosophy of Creating Shared Value, or CSV.
“Nestlé believes this collaboration will help elevate Thailand’s coffee industry and support its sustainable growth while creating positive change for farmers, communities and the environment,” he said.
M.L. Dispanadda Diskul, Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage, said the partnership would advance the foundation’s social and environmental development work at the international level while continuing to empower Thai farmers.
“The Mae Fah Luang Foundation believes this collaboration will help Thai farmers achieve sustainable self-reliance through their agricultural livelihoods while preserving vital natural resources for future generations,” he said.
“At the heart of this mission is the development of local farmers into entrepreneurs with stable incomes, enabling the Thai coffee supply chain to grow sustainably and with dignity on the global stage.
“The partnership will also strengthen Thailand’s agricultural sector and enhance its capacity to respond to the challenges of climate change.”
Nestlé and MFLF share common goals and a commitment to improving coffee cultivation and farmers’ quality of life through integrated operations and community support.
The two organisations will also work together to promote and further develop community products, contributing to a more sustainable coffee supply chain in the future.