Page 57 - Agricultural innovation

However, farmers have to face with several challenges, including:
• Bolaven Plateaus Coffee Producer Cooperative (CPC) consists of nearly 2,000 household members
that make more complicated management.

• Financial management is a critical concern that matters for CPC’s sustainability. Keeping
transparency in financial management is a great challenge.

5.2.4. Conclusions

Most of the farming production units in Laos are small-scale production. production groups and
cooperatives are expected to empower farmers in the market. However, the failure of cooperatives in
the 1980s still haunts farmers. The achievement of the CPC confirms that production cooperatives can
raise the bargaining power of farmers and improve their living livelihood.
The achievement of CPC in organization management, value-added creation, and friendly
production to the environment and community is a momentous sample. These experiences and lessons
should be shared with other cooperatives in many channels. There should be handbooks in cooperative
management, production management, value-added generation, technical production, and friendly
production to the environment and community so that CPC’s innovation and knowledge could be
widely implemented in other cooperatives.

5.3. Model of Buffalo Dairy Farm in Luangprabang, Laos
5.3.1. General information
Consuming cow dairy products is common, while buffalo dairy products are less known and less
consumed. This has made a buffalo dairy farm in Luangprabang an interesting and unique destination
for both local and foreign tourists. The idea for this farm came about a decade ago when three Australians,
Susie, Steven, and Rachel, visited Luangprabang and realized that it was difficult to find high-quality
cheese in the city. They noticed the abundance of buffalos in the rural area of Luangprabang and
were inspired to create their own cheese using buffalo milk. After many failed attempts, they finally
developed successful recipes to make cheese and other products from buffalo milk. The story of the
buffalo dairy farm goes beyond cheese and other dairy products; it is also about their collaboration
with local villagers and their contribution to the sustainable development of the community.

5.3.2. Model development
The buffalo dairy farm is situated in Muangkhay village, approximately 25 kilometers from
Luangprabang’s city center. Its establishment dates back to 2016, and it presently provides employment
for 30 full-time staff members. Initially, only four households contributed their buffalos to the milking
process, but now over 150 households participate, each owning an average of one to three buffalos.
The buffalo dairy farm is an environmentally and socially responsible farm that aims to enhance local
agriculture by promoting buffalo farming, administering vaccinations, providing animal husbandry,
veterinary care, and nutrition programs. It is a unique farm that integrates an organic farm, petting
zoo, cheese-making workshop, ice-cream shop, and community support center.
The Buffalo dairy farm is a great example of a farm that thinks creatively and outside of the box
when it comes to introducing new products. One such product is buffalo milk, which is not widely
available in Luangprabang or Laos. The farm works with local villagers by renting their pregnant
buffalo, taking care of them and their calves, and milking them for approximately six months before

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