The Swarna Bandar team of Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Community Service Program (KKN-PPM UGM) has encouraged the development of coffee as a flagship commodity in Kledung Village, Bandar District, Pacitan Regency, East Java.
This initiative, led by KKN-PPM UGM students, aimed to optimize the village’s agricultural potential, which has not yet been fully utilized.
Kledung Village is located in the Bandar District of Pacitan Regency, East Java, and features mountainous terrain with strong agricultural and plantation potential. One of the village’s key resources is coffee, as its geographic conditions support cultivation.
Dhanti Ari Prastiwi, a member of the Swarna Bandar team, noted that coffee plants have long been known and cultivated in Kledung Village. Nearly every household owns coffee plants, typically ranging from two to six trees planted in home gardens or around their residences. Commonly grown varieties include robusta coffee and a local variety known among residents as kopi nangka.
“So far, these coffee plants have generally been cultivated independently by residents and used primarily for personal consumption,” Prastiwi said in a statement issued on Thursday (Feb. 5).
According to Prastiwi, coffee consumption among Kledung Village residents is relatively high, indicating that coffee holds cultural significance and has established local market potential within the community. However, coffee has not yet fully developed into a primary commodity for the community.
“Its management remains secondary and has not been accompanied by efforts to increase added value, whether in cultivation, processing, or marketing,” she added.
In response to these conditions, the Swarna Bandar team initiated a coffee potential development program through introduction and extension activities to build Kledung Village into a leading coffee production center, in collaboration with nine farmer groups in the village.
Through this program, Prastiwi said, the Swarna Bandar team aims to expand opportunities and create pathways for the people of Kledung Village to jointly develop coffee as a village identity and a flagship commodity with economic value and sustainability.
“We will develop promotional efforts and marketing channels, as well as proper packaging and production methods,” she said.
The head of the Rejo Makmur farmer group, Hadi Winarno, stated that community awareness of coffee development has begun to grow, although several challenges remain.
“Some residents have started taking steps to develop coffee, but marketing remains a challenge due to its limited reach,” he explained.
Author: Zabrina Kumara Putri
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographs: Swarna Bandar Team