Coffee Trees Saving Forests

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN

Two workers from PT Agro Tropik Nusantara collect coffee beans dried in the sun near Mount Kerinci, Kerinci regency, Jambi, on Thursday (25/1/2018). Climate change could affect coffee production in many regions.

Once labeled encroachers, farmers have voluntarily left the forest. They are now restoring land by planting coffee. Coffee is now not only about specialty taste but also environmental conservation.

Paidirman, 42, is no longer annoyed. His 5-year-old coffee tree produces 10 kilograms of red coffee fruit per year. By processing the fruit into coffee beans and selling them for Rp 25,000 per kg, Paidirman can earn Rp 135 million per year from his 1,800 coffee trees.

Flowers and coffee fruit blossomed. Bigger trees protected them from strong winds and rain. “The coffee outcome is abundant,” he said at Renah Pemetik, a Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) buffer zone, in Kerinci regency, in January.

The situation there is a stark contrast to the coffee crisis experienced in many regions across the country. Parts of Sumatra experienced late harvests or even no harvests at all last year. In Flores, the harvest dropped almost 70 percent due to high intensity rain. In Toraja, the harvest period has shortened not to mention the leaf blight attack.

Coffee and Cacao Research Center (Puslitkoka) said the disruption was due to global warming. Without special treatment, the situation would get worse.

Thus, Putlikoka retired researcher Jauhari emphasized the importance of treating the trees. If the farmers were disciplined, coffee productivity would improve after five years. Each tree would be able to produce an average of 15-kg of coffee per year.

Assuming farmers grow 1,500 trees per hectare, they produce 22,500-kg of fruit per hectare or almost 4 tons of green beans. Such production exceeds the output of Brazil and Vietnam.

The key was, Jauhari said, in protection strategy. Together with environmentalist and Agro Tropik business owner Emma Fatma, they developed a coffee business based on agroforestry. They target critical land to be restored. Paidirman’s land is among them.

After being fertilized using cattle manure, the farmland is planted with Arabica coffee. Different varieties of coffee are grown in one area. The method aims to counter diseases. “If one type of plantation gets ill, it will not affect others. It is easier to control,” Emma said.

Arabica was chosen because it was accommodated by the space, 1,400 meters above sea level. The selling price is also higher, almost three times the price of Robusta coffee.

The agroforestry-based coffee planting does not only have economic value but also environmental. It saves the forest. Coffee plantation is developed along with the planting of bigger trees such as leucaena, magnolia, durian and avocado. In the coming years, the area would turn into a forest.

Chased by institutions

Leaving a conservation forest to work on critical land in the village was not an easy choice. Ten years ago, Paidirman was still labeled a forest encroacher for opening land in forests and growing coffee.

He was often chased by forest rangers. The plantation treatment was not maximal and the risk was big. Once, Emma asked the farmers to develop abandoned land but they were hesitant. “They said, please don’t. We could grow coffee simply by throwing the beans on the ground,” Emma recalled.

Emma did not give up. She provided free seeds and asked Jauhari as a coffee expert to coach the farmers. They grew coffee on 10 hectares of land belonging to 10 farmers.

Three years later, they got satisfying result. Realizing the result, other farmers were interested. They started to restore the critical land and expand it. As of January 2018, they have restored 90 hectares of critical land. They grew 135,000 coffee trees and 36,000 protective trees. The coffee plantation was managed by 79 farmers and their family. Those, who once were forest encroacher, now work to reforest the area.

Customary forest

Not less special was the story of coffee plantation in the valleys close to Bukit Barisan mountains in Solok, West Sumatra. The coffee is grown to reforest the hills left damaged by forest fire.

The coffee story started with the enthusiasm of coffee farmers following the establishment of Koperasi Serba Usaha (KSU) Solok Radjo cooperatives. Through the cooperatives, the farmers learned how to practice good farming. When the market demand for Solok Arabica coffee grew, the farmers were unable to provide supply. The harvest dropped due to strong wind and rain.

The farmers then grew coffee on damaged hills around Nagari Aie Dingin in Lembah Gumanti district. The area was reforested. “If the environment is restored, the area will produce better quality coffee,” said Alfadriansyah, chairman of KSU Solok Radjo.

The anxiety over climate change also drove farmers in Dolok Tolong village, Sumbul district, Dairi regency, to develop coffee protection system.

Each line of coffee is protected with Leucaena. The farming land becomes shady.

Walmanso Simbolon, a farmer in Dolok Tolong, said the coffee is protected from heavy rain, strong wind and sunlight.

In East Java, the productive forest and coffee becomes a solution to the economy and the environment. The forestry office allows farmers to grow coffee in the production forest in Bondowoso. Coffee grows in between Leucaena, mahogany and other hardwood trees.

In 2017, the coffee plantation area on land belonging to the forestry office has reached 14,000 hectares. The farmers enjoy the harvest and the forest is conserved.