Saudi-based ITFC’s initiatives support coffee farmers in Indonesia

A woman picks Arabica coffee beans at a plantation in Paya Tumpi, in the Aceh province of Indonesia, on Sept. 18, 2022. (AFP)

• Indonesia is world’s fourth-largest coffee producer and Asia’s second-biggest
• Partnership with Indonesia to increase farmers’ output by 15 percent

JAKARTA: The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, a member of the Islamic Development Bank, is training Indonesian coffee producers in sustainable farming to increase their share of the global market.
Indonesia is the fourth-largest coffee producer in the world and the second-biggest in Asia, accounting for around seven percent of global coffee output.
Indonesia exported roughly 434,000 metric tons, worth over $1.1 billion, in 2022, according to government data. The Jeddah-based ITFC has been running Master Trainer Upgrade programs with the Sustainable Coffee Platform of Indonesia, which hopes to boost sustainable coffee production in the country and increase output by 15 percent by 2026.
“The ITFC’s joint endeavors with SCOPI are aligned with its broader mission of fostering sustainable economic growth in partner countries,” the ITFC told Arab News this week. “By enhancing the value chain from cultivation to export, this initiative has the potential to drive poverty reduction, economic diversification, and increased incomes for all participants in the coffee industry.”
The training programs covered sustainable methods of production, quality standards and market readiness.
“This strategic collaboration is poised to provide Indonesian coffee producers with improved market access, equipping them to meet international standards and cater to global market demands effectively,” the ITFC said, adding that the corporation was eager to initiate additional projects in Indonesia to “catalyze broader trade advancement, fostering economic progress and enhancing livelihoods.”
SCOPI, whose work focuses on developing partnerships in the coffee industry for the welfare of farmers, said its cooperation with the ITFC is “a driving force for positive change, as it involves everyone involved in the coffee value chain.”
The training programs, it added, have the potential to reach other coffee farmers in Indonesia and have an even broader impact.
So far, training has involved participants from Aceh, North Sumatra and South Sulawesi, among other areas. SCOPI is also optimistic about forming similar partnerships across the Middle East.
“The Middle East is a priority export destination for Indonesian coffee,” it said. “We see that there will be more opportunities for cooperation with even more organizations in the Middle East.”