Akangjungla
Coffee culture in Nagaland has come a long way over the past few years. Basically a tea and pika cha (black tea) drinking community, people in Nagaland seems to be including coffee in their menu of daily beverage in a relaxed manner. However before this aromatic transition in the Naga kitchen, some entrepreneurs were already harvesting, roasting and brewing home grown coffee on a commercial scale. And when it comes to coffee industry in Nagaland, the most popular names were Été Coffee and Nagaland Coffee both initially based only in Kohima and Dimapur districts respectively.
To recap, Été Coffee is the first coffee roasting company in Nagaland, established in the year 2016 with the tagline, “Justice a cup”! Été Coffee is the formation of a group of first-generation coffee roasters who chose to move out of the mainstream and conventional professions into the coffee industry. The founder and CEO of Été Coffee, Lichan Humtsoe says that the word “Ete” comes from the Naga word which means “us” or “ours” and it comes from the rationale that Nagaland being a multi-tribal community we want to advocate unity and so it simply implies cutting across clans and tribes. Likewise, homegrown, the Naga Coffee Private Limited is jointly managed by Vivito Yeptho from Nagaland, and Dr Pieter Vermeulen from Cape Town, South Africa. The company sells and exports roasted as well as green coffee under the name ‘Nagaland Coffee’ which is trademarked. The Nagaland Coffee Shop in Dimapur was launched on 1st September 2018 and since then it has been one of the most popular coffee shops in the city. This group of people is guided by the mission statement, ‘To produce the best forest-grown, organic coffee in the world, to contribute to the village economy, to contribute to the Nagaland economy, and achieve long-term prosperity for all employees and partners.’ Currently, the company has farms in Zunheboto, Mon, Wokha, Tuensang and Mokokchung. In a landmark achievement, Naga Coffee won a silver plaque at the third annual Aurora International Taste Challenge held in September 2021 near Stellenbosch, South Africa. Lately, more individual entrepreneurs are contributing towards the growth and expansion of coffee industry in Nagaland.
It is encouraging to witness the Land Resources Department, Government of Nagaland taking initiatives to promote coffee culture in the State. The department has taken note that ‘coffee culture may still be in the nascent stage, but it is picking up pace along with the huge scope for starting coffee-based enterprises in the State.’ According to an official report the total area promoted under the coffee plantation in Nagaland has increased to 10,202.2 hectare (Ha) in 2022-23. The Annual Administrative Report 2022-23 of the Land Resources Development, Nagaland records that during the last financial year, an additional area of 370 Ha has been brought under coffee plantation under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Watershed Development Component (PMKSYWDC 2.0). The department intends to cover 30,000 hectares of coffee plantation by the year 2030. To inculcate coffee drinking culture in the State, the department has initiated Barista Training on the 10 skills of Barista imparted to promote coffee-based entrepreneurship among educated unemployed youths drawn from various districts. Taking it forward, the training was followed by launching of coffee bars through coffee entrepreneurs in 11 districts. Additionally, all the district offices of the Department have also established coffee bars in their respective offices.
Nagaland’s potential as a leading coffee producer and consumer looks promising, and the proposals have been mentioned to adapt coffee farming as a viable alternative to traditional jhum cultivation, drawing parallels with coffee giant countries like Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, and Ethiopia. While all the different aspects involved in coffee cultivation is central, the attention also needs to cover the well-being of the coffee growers in the State. Coffee farmers can be equipped for better productivity and increased income by equipping with new techniques for improving the soil, using organic fertilizers, maintaining and managing water conservation, and thus become part of a sustainable coffee production unit.
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