Welcome to Ywangan! This region in the Shan State is the largest coffee producing area of Myanmar. Due to USAID’s value chain rural projects and Winrock International’s involvement, the cupping scores of the coffees in this region have soared from lower 70’s to higher 80’s in just under a year! These exponential improvements are the result of not only agricultural projects, but also support in business trainings and developing relationships with international buyers.
We visited Myin Kya Doe, a community of 330 households producing dry naturals. Myin Kya Doe has recently joined the production group in Ywangan and is very excited to be improving the quality of their green beans. They are working on 120 acres of farmland, with a 1200 meter elevation.
As with all previous visits, we were received warmly; this time by U San Tint, the leader of the community. It is wonderful to witness the hospitality and excitement of the communities in Myanmar, who are thrilled to show us their passionate work. We were shown around, got a chance to talk to the producers and drink some of our coffee together. We learned about the challenges and opportunities in the area and were able to find ways to collaborate in more effective ways. We left grateful for the opportunity to connect with the communities in Ywangan and being able to play a small role in their recent success.
