Raising the Value of Coffee, Protecting the Ponglegen Traditional Territory in Rongkong, South Sulawesi

The Ponglegen Indigenous Community in Rongkong, South Sulawesi, is strengthening its collective economy through the development of an Arabica coffee business. The community utilizes its customary land to grow coffee, a leading product, while also developing new skills in processing and marketing to increase its sales value.

Much of the Ponglegen customary territory is located within protected and production forest areas. In this area, the Ponglegen Indigenous Community grows coffee as a source of livelihood. However, their produce is often sold raw without added value. Challenges lie in a lack of understanding of processing, marketing, and access to distribution networks. This makes Ponglegen coffee difficult to compete with and unable to generate adequate sales revenue.

The initial steps began in mid-December 2024; residents, youth, women, and traditional institutions sat together to socialize the upcoming initiative. A few days later, a three-day business training session was held. A total of 15 people received training, production equipment, and supporting facilities for their coffee businesses. This training was a turning point, fostering an understanding that improving product quality alone was not enough. They needed to build an identity, strengthen their brand, and reach the market in a more planned manner. The training led to the formation of the Indigenous Community Business Group – KUMA Buntu Leling as a driving force for the development of coffee in the Ponglegen Indigenous Community. 

In early 2025, the business group began clearing two hectares of land for Arabica coffee cultivation. Seedlings were planted, production equipment was prepared, and a garden hut was built. The hut is not only a storage and rest area, but also serves as a center for collective post-harvest management.

One significant change that emerged was a collective awareness of the importance of packaging and marketing. KUMA Buntu Leling began designing product displays and producing packaging for Arabica coffee. The ready-to-sell coffee, named "Legen Coffee" then marketed through Rongkong Outlet, a sales center for indigenous community products located in the sub-district capital, close to tourist attractions and local traffic. Coffee products that were once sold only raw to collectors are now gaining brand identity, making them more attractive and valuable to buyers.

Through KUMA Buntu Leling, the Ponglegen Indigenous Community can increase the selling value of coffee through post-harvest processing. KUMA successfully collects 50 kilograms of coffee per harvest from coffee farmers in Ponglegen to be processed into coffee products. roasting in seed and powder form.

Farmers' confidence in managing their own businesses has also begun to grow. They are no longer solely reliant on informal distribution channels but are beginning to recognize broader market opportunities, including the possibility of online sales or collaboration with external parties. The community now understands that they are not only producing delicious coffee but also offering cultural values ​​that can be communicated through brand identity.

There were certainly challenges. Limited internet access, impassable road infrastructure during the rainy season, and changing logistical needs during implementation were notable. However, they responded dynamically, adjusting their strategy, restructuring their priorities, and planning for increased human resource capacity for the next phase.

The collective coffee business model developed by KUMA Buntu Leling reflects the adaptation of Indigenous knowledge to new ones. Existing knowledge is strengthened by continuous learning from experience, strengthening networks, and initiating a shift from traditional, often individual production to a collective business system that can provide greater shared benefits for the entire Ponglegen Indigenous community.

By processing their coffee harvest into marketable products, the Ponglegen Indigenous Community avoids the need to continually expand their land or increase production volume, which could put pressure on the sustainability of their customary territory. Instead of focusing on quantity, they begin to maximize the quality and market value of each coffee bean harvested. This strategy helps maintain the ecological balance of their customary territory, as production remains manageable while incomes increase.

For the Ponglegen Indigenous Community, coffee is more than just a crop. When they began cultivating, packaging, and marketing their own harvest, they were also affirming one thing: the growth and resilience of Indigenous Peoples must begin with their own hands.