by Dames Alexander Sinaga
WEST TANJUNG JABUNG, Indonesia, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- In the quiet peatland districts of West Tanjung Jabung Regency in Indonesia's Jambi province, a subtle yet significant transformation is unfolding among smallholder farmers who have long cultivated one of the world's most overlooked coffee varieties: Liberica.
For decades, Liberica has remained on the margins of global coffee culture. But in the coastal lowlands of Jambi, where deep, waterlogged and acidic soils pose challenges for most commercial crops, the hardy Liberica tree thrives. Its deep roots, tall structure and resilience have tied the crop to the cultural memory of local communities.
Farmers in West Tanjung Jabung even have a name that reflects this connection: kopi liberika tungkal, which links the bean closely to their regional identity and heritage.
"Liberica survives where other coffees die," said Harihadi, a 41-year-old coffee farmer from Mekar Jaya village. "It's part of our landscape. It's part of our family history."
Like many Indonesians, Harihadi uses a single name. For over eight years, he has run a community cafe in his village. The cafe has grown into a hub of creativity and connection, a vibrant space far removed from what the land used to be.
"Before this cafe was built, this place was nothing but wilderness," he recalled.
Today, the cafe hosts barista workshops, art exhibitions, live music and youth gatherings. It has become a symbol of how a community and its traditional crop can evolve together.
The shift toward value-added Liberica, however, was not easy. For years, farmers sold only green beans, lacking the equipment, skills and market access needed to process and market higher-value products.
Change began in 2016 with the involvement of PetroChina International Jabung Ltd. The company, which operates the Jabung Working Area, one of Jambi's major oil and gas blocks, started working with Mekar Jaya farmers. The company, the international arm of China National Petroleum Corporation, introduced training and support to help farmers process, market and promote Liberica as a specialty coffee.
Since 2017, PetroChina's community development initiatives have focused on strengthening every stage of the Liberica value chain, from post-harvest processing and disease control to sustainable cultivation. Although Liberica is produced in smaller quantities than Arabica or Robusta, its distinct flavor has positioned it as a rising specialty product.
Market interest has grown accordingly. Prices for local Liberica green beans now reach around 85,000 Indonesian rupiahs (about 5.1 U.S. dollars) per kg, reflecting both growing demand and limited national competition. In Mekar Jaya, where Liberica is part of everyday life, farmers say their beans are increasingly recognized as a premium offering.
Ahmad Ramadlan, corporate social responsibility and community development supervisor at PetroChina International Jabung Ltd., said the company's vision goes beyond coffee marketing.
"Liberica is not just a commodity, but a regional identity," Ramadlan said. "We are not just building an outlet, we are building the capacity of farmers and MSMEs so they can become independent, grow stronger and innovate from upstream to downstream."
In Mekar Jaya, that vision is beginning to take shape.
At Harihadi's cafe, young people gather to taste, learn and experiment, while farmers speak with newfound pride about their crop. Across the waterlogged peatlands of West Tanjung Jabung, a once-forgotten bean is carving out a future, supported by tradition, resilience and a growing belief that Liberica's moment has arrived. ■