The Story
We’ve been working with Ibu Rahmah, the chairwoman of the Ketiara Cooperative since 2013, around the same time the group became organic-certified. Bies Penantan refers to a specific group of villages in the highlands where the smallholders who contribute to this lot grow their coffee. The farmers produce their coffee organically on small farms around Takengon, a town in Aceh, Indonesia, where steady rainfall contributes to an almost year-round coffee harvest. In addition to collecting, processing, blending, and preparing coffee for export, the Ketiara Cooperative also provides technical services and regular training on organic best practices for its members.