Public lecture (and coffee tasting) with Po-Tao Chang, Phd student in the Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This presentation is designed for people who are interested in topics related to sustainable agriculture, indigenous peoples, coffee commodity chains, and industry in Thailand. Po-Tao Chang will present his latest research findings about the transformation of highland Arabica coffee production with (mostly) Akha people, and the revolution of the Thai (specialty) coffee industry. Briefly speaking, the Akha people have played a crucial role in expanding and upgrading both the quantity and quality of Arabica coffee production over the past two decades. There has been a dramatic number of Akha coffee producers elevating the quality and value of their coffee parchments and green beans. While some of them are becoming entrepreneurs, the uneven development of coffee production is also happening among different ethnic groups and villages. In addition, the anxiety of massive investment and the uncertainty of market transformation have also been emerging challenges for indigenous coffee smallholders in northern Thailand.