Banda Aceh, Indonesia – 8 September 2025. Every strong coffee tree begins as a small seedling. Yet across Indonesia, many farmers face the same challenge: seedlings that look promising at first but struggle to survive once planted in the field. Coffee researcher Surip Mawardi has spent years studying what goes wrong in the nursery — and how simple adjustments can make the difference between weak seedlings and strong, productive trees.

The foundation of a healthy seedling

According to Surip, there are three non-negotiables for raising coffee seedlings:

1. Start with quality seed — seedlings can only be as good as the genetics behind them.

2. Keep the nursery clean — sterilize sand or soil before use to prevent pests and diseases.

3. Balance the environment — seedlings need the right mix of humidity, light, and temperature to grow well.

When these basics are overlooked, survival rates drop and farmers lose both time and money.

What usually goes wrong

Surip points to a few common mistakes that many farmers make, often without realizing their impact:

• Using branch material that is too young (too soft) or too old (too hard) for cuttings.

• Failing to sterilize nursery media, leaving seedlings exposed to disease.

• Giving too much light too early, which burns fragile leaves.

• Opening the plastic cover (“sungkup”) too quickly, leaving seedlings unable to adapt.

• Working alone without peer feedback, making it easy to repeat mistakes.

Each of these errors may seem small, but together they can cut survival rates by more than half.

How to fix it

The good news: every mistake has a solution. Surip highlights practical steps that any farmer group can take to boost nursery success:

• Choose the right cutting material: look for semi-hardwood branches just turning brown — not too green, not too woody.

• Use a simple “sungkup”: a bamboo frame covered with plastic helps control humidity and light.

• Stage the process:

  • First month: high humidity, low light, stable temperature.

  • After rooting: gradually introduce more light.

  • Before transplanting: open the “sungkup” slowly so seedlings adapt to outside air.

• Sterilize media: steam, fumigate, or treat fine sand before using it for cuttings.

• Practice patience: successful propagation is as much about care and persistence as it is about skill.

“Propagation is not only about skill but also patience. Farmers who treat seedlings with care, like raising children, will see much higher survival rates,” said Surip.

The power of learning together

Surip also stresses that nurseries work best when farmers organize as groups rather than working individually. In a participatory nursery model, farmers share land, materials, and labor, while partners such as KAPPI can support with improved seed, tools, or training.

This approach:

• Makes quality seed more accessible,

• Encourages peer-to-peer learning, and

• Builds a sense of ownership, ensuring seedlings are planted and cared for.

From seedlings to strong harvests

Seedlings may look small, but their impact is long-term. Coffee trees can live for decades, and starting with healthy, vigorous seedlings means investing in productivity, quality, and resilience for the next 20 to 50 years.

For Surip, the message is simple: get the nursery right, and the farm will follow. As he stated before, “Good seedlings are like the roots of a strong community. With the right start, farmers can grow trees that sustain livelihoods for generations.”