In Java, Indonesia, coconut sugar farmers of Kulon Progo face numerous challenges, from unpredictable weather patterns to the dangers of traditional farming methods. With the support of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, in 2019, the Sugar and Steam project was launched to address the unique challenges faced by farmers. This five-year project brought together Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences and AidEnvironment to support the coconut sugar exporter Aliet Green in its efforts to improve the incomes, productivity, and climate resilience of over 2,000 farmers. Sangga Bumi Lestari joined the consortium as AidEnvironment’s in-country partner.
As the Sugar & Steam project nears completion, Sangga Bumi Lestari and Aliet Green are proud to announce a new partnership with UNEP and the Government of Canada to continue efforts to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to pressing agricultural issues in Kulon Progo.
Solving Environmental Challenges through Regenerative Organic Agriculture Practices
Kulon Progo’s coconut sugar farmers have long struggled with the impacts of frequent droughts and floods, which have not only hampered productivity but also led to severe soil erosion and landslides on the region’s steep terraces. The Sugar & Steam project team have trained over 2,000 farmers in the use of locally available materials to build green infrastructure. This includes simple yet effective techniques such as filling gunny sacks with soil, bamboo, stones, or coconut fronds to create basins that collect rainwater, and constructing water traps to slow down water streams and encourage infiltration. These measures have significantly reduced soil erosion and improved water retention, resulting in a 20% increase in coconut sugar productivity and enhanced climate resilience for 1,200 farms.
UNEP and Canada Support Advances Innovative Safety Solutions
The traditional method of climbing 15-metre-high coconut trees to harvest sap poses significant risks to farmers, with falls often resulting in fatal injuries. To mitigate these dangers, Sangga Bumi and Aliet Green , in partnerships with Canada and UNEP, have provided 100 farmers with five dwarf coconut trees. These shorter, 1- to 2-metre-tall coconut trees reduce the physical risks associated with harvesting and create opportunities for women and less able or willing individuals to participate in coconut farming.
Diversifying Income Streams
Reliance on a single crop makes farmers vulnerable to market fluctuations and pest infestations. To address this, the Sugar & Steam team have introduced vanilla and ginger as intercropped agroforestry crops. In 2023, farmers saw a 20-35% increase in income from the sale of Regenerative Organic Certification vanilla beans, demonstrating the success of these diversification efforts. The TLGF grants enables Aliet Green and Sangga Bumi to expand the farming of vanilla and ginger, taking advantage of rising global demand for these commodities to increase economic opportunities for coconut sugar farmers.
Expanding app-based monitoring
Agriculture is one of the least digitalised economic sectors in Indonesia. This lack of digitalisation reduces effective monitoring and traceability of farmer activity and impedes farmer access to supply chains covered by certification requirements and. Sangga Bumi provides technical assistance to Aliet Green to implement app-based monitoring to its farmer-suppliers. Moving farmers from paper documentation will increase efficiency, free up time, and present greater long-term supply chain opportunities.
Increasing gender and social equity
In coconut sugar farming, men and women’s roles are very distinct: men climb the trees to harvest the sap, women cook the sap to make the sugar. The introduction of dwarf coconut trees has the potential to change these roles, making coconut farming more accessible to women who don’t have access to male labour. Dwarf coconuts also have the scope to increase opportunities for younger and less able farmers. To fully understand the dynamics and hurdles for marginalised groups, Sangga Bumi will conduct a comprehensive Gender and Social Inclusion study in Aliet Green’s two source villages Kulon Progo.
Conclusion
The Sugar & Steam project has made a tangible difference to the lives of farmers in Kulon Progo. We are excited to have the opportunity to continue our efforts to promote regenerative organic agriculture, bridge the digital gap, introduce innovative safety solutions, diversify income streams, and enhance gender equity.