On July 4, 2026, the PESHA Project marked a historic milestone at the National Nepali Coffee Exhibition & National Coffee Cupping Championship in Pokhara. Organized by the National Tea and Coffee Development Board (Regional Office, Pokhara) under the resonant theme "Discover • Taste • Embrace • Promote," the grand festival was formally inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, Surendra Raj Pandey.

Backed by various line ministries and partner organizations, the event welcomed a vibrant crowd of over 800 visitors, industry experts, and coffee enthusiasts, and featured more than 25 specialized coffee stalls.

🎯 Our Strategic Objectives

Participating in this high-profile national arena allowed MPMT and the PESHA Project to advance several core missions:

• Showcasing the Seed-to-Cup Journey, Sharing farmer-friendly IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) materials that map out the rigorous process and milestones achieved by the PESHA Project.
• Market Integration & Networking, Opening direct lines of communication with officials from the National Tea and Coffee Development Board and key market stakeholders to better understand current market demands, premium pricing, and export avenues for our farmers.
• Peer-to-Peer Learning, Creating a dynamic platform for our local farmers to connect with national coffee experts and successful commercial growers, fostering an invaluable exchange of best practices to tackle shared farming challenges.

The festival offered an immersive experience throughout, featuring live nursery and plantation garden observations, public cupping sessions of Nepal's finest specialty lots, advanced brewing demonstrations, and interactive equipment displays.

🏆 A Historic Achievement for Gorkha

The PESHA Project submitted three distinct coffee samples from the Gandaki and Shahid Lakhan Rural Municipalities to go head-to-head with the country's finest coffees. The result was a proud moment for the region: the Kot Thok Coffee Producers Farmers Group (Gandaki RM–4, Gorkha) clinched third place at the prestigious championship. Competing against top-tier specialty producers from across the nation, Gorkha's coffee earned an outstanding score of 84.75 points, firmly establishing its place on Nepal's specialty coffee map as a premium specialty lot.

🔮 Our Commitment Going Forward

With over 30,000 farmers cultivating coffee across 43 districts in Nepal, this national recognition is concrete proof that, with structured institutional support, technical guidance, and rigorous quality control, coffee from Gorkha can compete on the global stage.

As we step into the third year of the PESHA Project, MPMT remains deeply committed to building on this momentum by:

• Maximizing the operational efficiency of local pulping centers.
• Pursuing strict organic certifications.
• Creating sustainable, independent value chains that continue to thrive and empower local communities long after the project cycle ends.

Celebrating the Spirit of Our Farmers: This victory belongs to the hardworking farmers of Gorkha who trusted the process, embraced technical guidance, and poured their dedication into every single cherry. Together, we are taking Nepal's specialty coffee to the world! ☕