After a long time, finally in October this year, a trip to Sumatra took place, and Regina was able to have a few conversations with the farmers. You can read the first of three here.
- Interview with Pak Rusli
Chairman of the Growers’ Group Mekar Indah. The farmers’ group has 56 members, 36 ha of coffee gardens.
Pak Rusli, what has changed for you since you became a member of Orang Utan Coffee in 2015?
I had to converse the management of my coffee gardens to organic. That means a lot more manual work, but also new knowledge that you have to acquire. On the other hand, there is the economic advantage: with OUC we get a decent share of the proceeds from coffee sales plus the organic premium. And we can count on OUC buying coffee from us.
Pak Rusli, what are your wishes and visions for the future?
I would like to build a covered drying yard as well as a warehouse. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to get a building loan from OUC. I can pay it back with coffee.
My vision is that every year more farmers from our village will join OUC until all of them are involved. That would be more than 100 coffee farmers…! Since last year, 15 have joined, which is encouraging.
1: Pak Rusli with son.
2: He is happy about the appreciation he receives from visitors. Here, together with agronomist Yenni Lucia (right of Pak Rusli), he answers the questions of Kurt Dalsgaard and Christian Wiggers, Kontra Coffee, Roaster in Denmark.
1: In Pak Rusli’s coffee gardens there are also fish ponds, an enrichment of bio-diversity and protein supply.
2: His coffee gardens are well-maintained and shaded.
