In developing this potential, of course, commitment and consistency are needed from NTT farmers so that the cultivation to marketing process can be carried out properly and effectively.
In June 2023, Astra through the Astra Foundation which focuses on fostering MSMEs in the country, namely the Astra Dharma Bhakti Foundation (YDBA) strives to support strengthening the commitment and consistency of coffee and cocoa farmers in NTT, precisely in East Manggarai Regency so that farmers have the mentality of entrepreneurs with a focus on fostering farmers starting from the cultivation of these commodities, to the post-harvest process and marketing.
Commitment & Consistency of Astra Foundation Coffee Farmers
Coffee is a commodity that is used as a livelihood for farmers in Rendenao Village, East Lambaleda District, East Manggarai Regency, NTT. According to the Head of the Coffee MSME Community, Ferdinandus Gusti Bagung, since 1936 the community has made coffee one of their livelihoods in the area. According to him, 90% of the people in Rendenao Village make a living from coffee. In carrying out coffee cultivation, they do it from generation to generation, there is no special knowledge applied. "Later God Helps" is the mindset that has been in his mind all this time in carrying out the cultivation.
The mentality slowly changed when the coffee farmers followed the coaching program carried out by YDBA. 21 farmers/MSMEs were committed and consistent in following various coaching programs, both technically and in management. The farmers also had the opportunity to conduct benchmarks related to cultivation techniques and production management at one of the coffee producer cooperatives in the Subang area, West Java.
As the saying goes that effort will never betray the results, but the commitment and consistency of the coffee farmers in Rendenao Village have not betrayed the current results. Although there are still many things that need to be developed, their efforts have produced several achievements, such as they have understood and implementing the post-harvest process according to standards, the existence of coffee variants (arabica and robusta) that are produced and marketed with standardized quality and ideal prices and most importantly, a change in the mentality of farmers to become entrepreneurs has been formed. “Now we understand. Other ways take us in another direction, not traditional knowledge. We now understand the cultivation process, picking to post-harvest,” said one of YDBA’s fostered coffee farmers, Damianus Salus.
Commitment & Consistency of Astra Foundation Cocoa Farmers
Chocolate is a processed product from cocoa beans. This food, which is widely loved by various groups, is believed to be able to improve the mood of its connoisseurs. This product is sold under various brands which of course affects the price, but the price is not a problem for its connoisseurs, chocolate still has its segmentation.
Behind the many chocolate lovers, it turns out that there are many challenges faced by cocoa farmers. One of these challenges is pests. This was felt by YDBA’s fostered farmers in Watunggong Village, Tanarata Village, Kota Komba District, East Manggarai Regency, NTT. The Coordinator of YDBA’s fostered Cocoa UMKM, Marsun, said that cocoa farmers in the area often found pests in carrying out cultivation. However, they do not know how to control it. During the cultivation, they only focus on planting and picking the cocoa beans. They also follow various coaching programs with commitment and apply them consistently. Finally, the farmers now understand how to control pests, apply fertilizers and biological agents for cocoa cultivation, and the process of rehabilitating the cocoa plants.
