Liberika Sendoyan Coffee: A New Identity for West Kalimantan

Liberika Sendoyan coffee has emerged as a new identity for West Kalimantan in the increasingly popular world of coffee. For coffee lovers around the world, Indonesia has long been known as a paradise for various types of coffee, from Aceh to Papua. Some names that have caught attention are Toraja coffee, Sipirok, Sidikalang from North Sumatra, and Wamena coffee from Papua.

However, this time we will discuss a coffee that may not be so well known, namely Liberika coffee. Liberika coffee, originally from Liberia, Africa, has now become the focus of farmers in Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan, with the name “Liberika Sendoyan Coffee.”

In the 2000s, Liberika Sendoyan coffee was once a favorite. However, its productivity declined when farmers in the area switched to pepper plants, which were then profitable in terms of price.

However, with the decline in pepper prices, farmers reintroduced Liberika coffee. They began the Liberikan Sendoyan Coffee Planting Movement which aims to restore the glory of this type of coffee in their village.

The movement was pioneered by Budi, the Head of the Batu Layar Sejahtera Farmer Group (Poktan), Sendoyan Village, Sambas Regency. Budi and his friends planted Liberika Sendoyan coffee seedlings diligently, using 10 cm x 20 cm polybags filled with soil that had been mixed with organic fertilizer from animal manure and rice husks.

The Liberikan Sendoyan Coffee Planting Movement is an important step in the effort to restore the glory of this type of coffee that once thrived before the year 2000. Coffee cultivation activities in Batu Layar have become one of the main sources of income for farmers, in addition to rubber and pepper.

However, over time, many farmers have switched to other commodities such as pepper and palm oil. The movement aims to explore the potential of the area and improve the welfare of farmers.

Batu Layar Hamlet is indeed known as a coffee center that is suitable for Liberika coffee cultivation. The cultivation of this coffee is also not too difficult. In addition, the local need for coffee in the area is still lacking, and most of the population has to buy coffee from outside. The Liberikan Sendoyan Coffee Planting Movement is expected to meet local coffee needs.

According to Budi, the coffee culture is still very strong in Sambas Regency and West Kalimantan. “Here, the coffee culture is still strong. Every day people drink coffee, whether in the morning, afternoon, or evening,” said Budi. Therefore, coffee production needs to be increased again.

Tandi, a member of the Batu Layar Sejahtera Poktan, is also a role model in coffee cultivation. However, from a coffee plantation of about 1.5 hectares, he often has difficulty meeting the demand of the local community. Even the price of coffee beans reaches Rp45,000 - Rp50,000 per kilogram.

The care of Liberika coffee is relatively easy, with organic fertilization and growth on peat soil. “We have tested the quality and taste of the coffee, the results are indeed good. The coffee density is already above 750, the fermentation that was taught has been applied,” said Tandi.

Although there are some constraints in post-harvest management which is still done manually, farmers are also taught how to market their coffee with a brand that matches the name of their village.

“Liberika Sendoyan coffee has now become the identity of West Kalimantan coffee. West Kalimantan coffee is Liberika. This type of coffee is in high demand because it is low in caffeine and safe for the stomach," said Restu, a coffee activist and entrepreneur in West Kalimantan.

In addition, the uniqueness of Liberika is its distinctive fruit flavor, such as banana, jackfruit, and others. With the increasing number of Liberika Sendoyan coffee producers, it could be that we will see more coffee lovers around the world looking for the unique flavors of West Kalimantan.

Note: This post is a rewritten version of content published on the indonesia.go.id website.