goodmorningpapua.com – Papua is known as the world’s best coffee producer. Arabica coffee is grown by traditional farmers on semi-forested land on downhills in the central mountains of Papua. The area starts from the Bintang Mountains Regency to Dogiyai Regency.
Papuan Arabica coffee was first introduced by missionaries in the 1970s. Initially, they plant the coffee to cover the cost of small plane flights from the hinterland to Sentani or Nabire. Gradually, coffee became the main commodity of people in the mountains of Papua.
The taste of Papuan Arabica coffee is very unique and distinctive. Coffee plants are located at an altitude of 1,600 to 2,000 meters above sea level or masl with a temperature of 15-21 degrees Celsius. Researcher from the Papua Archaeological Center, Hari Suroto, said that Papuan Arabica coffee was grown organically. “Only relying on the goodness of nature, all the processes are done manually by hand,” said Hari Suroto.
Now, the Arabica coffee plant in Papua is threatened with extinction. According to Hari, global warming, climate change, and land conversion affect the quality and quantity of coffee production in the mountains of Papua. Arabica coffee is very sensitive and susceptible to disease.
Meanwhile, the clearing of forests for settlements, mining, agriculture, and other infrastructure developments has resulted in an increase in temperature in Papua. “The increase in temperature amid climate change is feared to trigger more pests and diseases that attack Arabica coffee plants,” he said.
In order for the Papuan arabica coffee to remains to survive, one way is to keep the temperature cool in the Papuan mountains, maintain the existence of Papua’s tropical forests, and reforest the empty land. According to Hari Suroto, now the real impact of global warming can be seen from the melting of the glaciers in Puncak Jaya.
In addition, he continued, arabica coffee needs to be planted with protective plants to reduce the intensity of sunlight that reaches the leaf canopy. Besides functioning for reforestation, protective plants can also reduce evaporation, prevent erosion, reduce the potential for pests and plant diseases, as well as a source of organic materials to improve land structure.