Aid in Action

Aceh Coffee Farmers Earn Higher Income with USAID Support

Aceh | Thursday, August 03, 2006

Mohammed Salim and his family of eight fled their home and small coffee farm in 2000 to escape the decades-long conflict between the Indonesian Government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) as did thousands of other families in the central highlands of Aceh Province. Many of these families abandoned their farms for the coastal areas and subsequently suffered the devastation of the December 2004 tsunami.

Since the implementation of the peace agreement in August 2005 Salim’s family and thousands of others have returned to their farms, many of which are now require extensive rehabilitation.  USAID is helping these families get back to work on their farms through support to a local coffee cooperative that provides a comprehensive range of services in production, procurement, and processing systems and support for marketing and sales of organically-certified, specialty coffee beans. 

Before returning home, Salim was only able to earn $20 per month doing odd jobs in the village.  He struggled to meet even the basic needs of his family. Things have changed now that he is back on his farm.  With the help of the coffee cooperative, he earned $940 from the sale of coffee from his first harvest.  His income increased by nearly 1500% after only a few months’ participation in the cooperative program. 

The family’s farm will also be rehabilitated through the USAID-supported Farm Rehabilitation Program. “They will provide us with loans for coffee seedlings and the tools we need to work the farm. It will be a big help!” he says.  Currently only half Salim’s farmland is prepared for cultivation.  The Rehabilitation Program will ensure that his entire land holdings can be an be used to grow coffee beans, and earn a sustainable income to support his family.