Introducing Kokowagayo, an amazing coffee from Sumatra, Indonesia. Kokowagayo is the name of the first women-owned and led cooperative in Sumatra.
The Café Femenino Sumatra Program began in 2015 to further drive women-controlled funds to their families and communities, and to create a space where women could share knowledge and control decision-making within the farm coop. What started as a small collection of women farmers now includes 544 women and nearly 500 hectares of farmland.
Since starting the Café Femenino Sumatra Program, the women have used their increasing resources to, among other things, offer leadership and financial training to women coffee farmers, set aside capital for women’s entrepreneurial efforts, and even build a community center above their wet mill to provide a safe space for women to congregate to learn new skills.
We're proud to offer our first single-origin Sumatran coffee and the amazing story behind it with you!
Coffee Profile
Roast Level: Medium Dark
Aroma: Floral, sweet, tobacco & vanilla
Tasting Notes: Rich, lush mouthfeel with notes of cherry, chocolate and tobacco
Origin: Sumatra, Indonesia
Region: Aceh Province
Altitude: 1,200 - 1,500 meters asl
Varietals: Bourbon, Catimor, Ateng Super
Processing Method: Grade 1, double-picked, semi-washed or fully washed
How the Program Impacts Their Communities
Land Rights
Women in Sumatra have always conducted the majority of the labor involved in coffee production. Women traditionally plant, prune, fertilize, harvest, and dry the coffee. However, because men are the owners of the land, they were the ones to sell the coffee once it was prepared by the women. Since women can only buy or inherit land, they are unable to legally share a land title with their husband. The women of Café Femenino Sumatra found an innovative way to break from this tradition: Each member collected a statement affidavit by the male landowner (her father or husband), granting authority for her to use the land. Since she has the authority to use the land, she now has the ability to sell her own coffee. This has been a key step in granting the women full authority over their livelihoods and businesses
Women Leadership
As all members are women, all of the leadership positions at the Café Femenino Sumatra Program are held by women. This includes the Chairwoman, Treasurer, Chair Supervisor, 4 Coffee Collectors and 8 Delegates. These leaders have a wealth of experience in the coffee and nonprofit sectors, experience that they’re strengthening with continuous workshops and training opportunities that further hone their business skills and alter the gender dynamics of their region.
Entrepreneurial Efforts
To help diversify their income, the women have created an entrepreneurship program that provides women with the resources and training necessary to grow and sell non-coffee commodities when the coffee harvest is complete. These non-coffee commodities include vegetables, fruits and livestock.