IPB University and Japan’s MRKS Intelligence Develop the Gayo Coffee Tree “Foster-Parent” Program
The Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FTT) at IPB University and the Japanese company MRKS Intelligence Inc. officially signed a letter of intent (LoI) on Friday (8/28) at the IPB Dramaga Campus in Bogor.
This LoI serves as the foundation for the implementation of the Gayo Coffee Tree Foster-Parent Program, located in Bener Meriah Regency, Aceh Province.
The signing was conducted by the Dean of FTT, Prof Slamet Budijanto, together with the President and CEO of MRKS Intelligence Inc, Morihiko Sato. Also in attendance were Prof Tajuddin Bantacut from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and Dr Rahmat Pramulya, Chief of the Gayo Coffee Section at CiCoFest.
Through this program, coffee farmers in Bener Meriah Regency have provided approximately two hectares of land, which is projected to accommodate around 3.200 new Gayo Arabica coffee trees.
MRKS Intelligence facilitates sponsors from Japan, ranging from individuals and corporations for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs to schools and universities for learning about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These sponsors will serve as “foster parents,” providing funding of approximately Rp 0,9 million to Rp 1,6 million per tree each year. These funds are used for seedlings, shade trees, and land maintenance carried out directly by the farmers.
During the three year growth period leading up to the first harvest, the foster-parents will receive scientifically verified growth reports, as well as a guarantee of replanting at no additional cost should any trees die.
The implementation of this initiative also involves local strategic partners, namely the CiCoFest Coffee Indonesia consortium, the Redelong Institute, and Rumah Pangan Berkelanjutan.
“The fundamental principle of this collaboration is to prioritize the program as a source of livelihood for farmers, with scientific research serving to support and ensure its sustainability,” said Prof Slamet.
In its implementation, FTT IPB University plays a role in providing independent scientific supervision and verification. Its role includes technical supervision of new plantings, such as determining varieties (Gayo 1 or Gayo 2), designing agroforestry layouts and shade tree arrangements, and implementing low-input cultivation practices.
“This program will serve as a long-term ‘living lab’ for the academic community to generate primary data on standardized agroforestry practices and community financing models,” he added.
Meanwhile, MRKS Intelligence Inc. is responsible for the overall program design, business decision making, and drafting contracts with farmer groups.
The company also plays a role in managing sponsorship funds and distributing them to farmers in a transparent manner, as well as in quality control, export related matters, and managing partnerships with the coffee industry network in Japan, including specialty coffee importers such as Umi no Mukou Coffee (Sakanotochu Group).
As a follow up to this 12 month Letter of Intent (LoI), FTT and MRKS will draft a formal cooperation agreement and finalize a monitoring protocol. The next phase includes conducting a baseline land survey and formalizing a joint agreement with farmer groups. This will be followed by the pilot planting of the first 50 to 100 trees during the 2026/2027 growing season. (*/Rz) (IAAS/KQA)
