Kerinci Coffee Expedition
My journey began with an introduction to an inspiring figure, Triyono, founder of Koerintji Barokah Bersama. He began with a wise quote, “If we want to walk fast, we are alone. But if we want to walk long and lastingly, we have to walk together.” I was inspired by this spirit of togetherness, which is the basis of their philosophy in managing the coffee cooperative.
Triyono shared that coffee has become an integral part of their life in Kerinci. They focus on speciality Arabica coffee and work with 12 UPHs and 380 farmer partners. However, a big challenge they face is the limited agricultural land as most of Kerinci is Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS).
I visited several coffee farms and saw first-hand how the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programme works. This programme, in collaboration with Rikolto and Sucafina, aims to integrate shade crops that have economic value, such as avocados. These avocados not only provide shade for the coffee, but also increase farmers’ income.
Ade Kurniawan from Rikolto Indonesia shared the results of a study related to living income in their working area in Jambi. It turns out that there is still a gap between the needs of a decent life and the real income of farmers. This composting programme is expected to be one of the solutions to increase farmers’ income and welfare.
We met Giana, a coffee farmer. She shared her story about the significant changes they have experienced since the coffee waste processing programme. “We used to be confused about where to dispose of this coffee waste. Now, thank God, coffee waste is no longer wasted. There is a lot of processing that can be done,” he said gratefully.
Daniel Shewmaker, Director Manager at PT Sucafina Indonesia Cofee, explains how they support PES projects through premiums collected from clients. The project not only reduces carbon emissions in their coffee supply chain, but also helps increase farmers’ income and sustainability.
This journey opened my eyes to how complex the world of coffee is, from the production process to environmental sustainability and farmers’ welfare. Co-operation and innovation are key in facing the challenges. The passion and dedication of the coffee farmers in Kerinci is deeply inspiring, and I am honoured to be able to record and share their stories through the lens of my camera.
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