Bogor, Indonesia – 8 April 2025. Coffee has long been the pride of Indonesia’s smallholder farmers. But depending on coffee alone is risky. Trees take years to bear fruit, prices swing on global markets, and most families farm less than a hectare.

Now a new approach is showing promise. KAPPI Global, together with IPB University led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Rachmat Pambudy, tested whether cassava could grow alongside coffee. The idea sounded unusual—but the results are clear. Coffee and cassava are not rivals. Together, they give farmers more security, more harvests, and more money in their pockets.

Lampung: millions from planterbags

In Tanggamus, Lampung, farmers planted cassava in 200 planterbags. Each bag produced around 25 kilograms of roots, equal to 5 tons in a single cycle of 9–10 months. At the official price of Rp 1,450 per kilogram, this gave farmers about Rp 7.2 million in extra income per cycle.

This money comes on top of coffee earnings, helping families cover school fees, daily needs, or invest in their farms. And because planterbags keep roots above ground, cassava grows well without disturbing coffee trees.

Wonosobo: resilience on tough land

In Wonosobo, Central Java, conditions were harsher—steep slopes and heavy rains. Even so, open-field cassava gave 8 kilograms per plant, adding about Rp 2.3 million from 200 plants per cycle.

When farmers used planterbags, yields jumped dramatically, reaching 15–20 kilograms per bag. The trials proved cassava’s adaptability: whether on wet highlands or dry lowlands, it can deliver real results without reducing coffee yields.

More value with Mocaf

Selling fresh cassava already brings income, but processing roots into Modified Cassava Flour (Mocaf) creates even more. Mocaf is gluten-free, versatile, and in growing demand. By making flour, farmers can increase earnings by about 20% compared to selling raw roots.

Mocaf also links farmers to new markets—local bakeries, SMEs, and even export buyers seeking sustainable, rice- and wheat-alternative flours. Every part of the cassava is used: peelings become animal feed, stalks fuel energy. Nothing is wasted.

Skills that change livelihoods

The project gave farmers more than just new crops. Trainings covered:

• Planterbag cultivation and balanced fertilization.

• Drip irrigation, which cut water use by about 30% and reduced labor.

• Post-harvest handling—drying, milling, and packaging cassava into Mocaf.

These practical skills build farmer confidence. With them, families can grow, process, and market their own products, instead of relying only on raw crop sales.

From farms to communities

Coffee–cassava intercropping creates ripple effects across communities.

• Farmer groups can run small Mocaf units, reaching local bakeries and businesses.

• Village entrepreneurs benefit from byproducts like animal feed.

• Coffee cooperatives gain a second revenue stream, making them less dependent on volatile global prices.

By 2025, the initiative aims to reach 1,000 farmers, lifting productivity by at least 20% and channeling billions of rupiah into rural economies each year.

A sustainable model for the future

Cassava does more than add cash. It improves soil health, diversifies farms, and provides climate resilience. With starch levels of about 32%, cassava also supports industries beyond food—from fortified staples to biodegradable materials.

This makes coffee–cassava intercropping a pathway not only for better livelihoods, but also for Indonesia’s goals in food security and the circular economy.

What’s next

Scaling up will take effort. Many farmers are new to cassava, and Mocaf equipment remains costly. Stronger market links are needed to guarantee steady demand.

The next step is developing farmer-led Mocaf enterprises with branding, packaging, and distribution support. If successful, Mocaf could stand alongside coffee as a proud product of Indonesian smallholders.

From trial to transformation

The research in Lampung and Wonosobo proves one point: two crops, one farm, stronger futures. With KAPPI Global’s support and IPB University’s leadership, coffee and cassava—two crops most people would never match—are now helping farmers secure more income, more value, and more resilience.

This isn’t just intercropping. It’s innovation in action—showing how science and community can work together to transform Indonesia’s agriculture.

References

• Nuryartono, N., Budijanto, S., Santosa, E., Burhanuddin, et al. (2022). Pangan Sehat Berbasis Cassava yang Berdaya Saing dan Berkelanjutan. IPB & LPDP.

• Burhanuddin, S., Sarianti, T., & Mintarsih (2018). Empowerment “Cassava Chips” Group Based on Pre-Prosperity Families in Menteng and Neglasari Village. Agrokreatif: Jurnal Ilmiah Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat, 4(2), 165–173.

• Von Grebmer, K., et al. (2020). One Decade to Zero Hunger: Linking Health and Sustainable Food Systems. WFP/IFPRI.