Sustainability Analysis of the Coffee Farming Business Based on Economic, Social, and Technological Dimensions

Abstract

Coffee farming plays a vital source of income for the local community in Toraja. Despite its significant economic role, the sustainability of smallholder coffee farming in Toraja has not been assessed. Most coffee farmers possessed plots of land of approximately 3-5 hectares, accounting for 77.27% of the total area. Only 22.73% of coffee farmers owned 6-8 hectare plots of land. The coffee farming business generated revenue averaging between IDR 2,000,000 and IDR 4,000,000. This study seeks to assess the sustainability of the coffee farming business in Sarang-Sarang Village, Sa’dan District, North Toraja. Forty-eight farmers were selected as the sample through simple random sampling, representing 10% of the population. Using a descriptive quantitative approach, this study measured the economic, social, and technological dimensions of the coffee farming business sustainability. Data were collected through a 4-point Likert scale with the following categories: 4) good, 3) fair, 2) poor, and 1) very poor. The applied data analysis involved scoring. The study's results revealed that the sustainability of coffee farming was rated as good in social and technological dimensions yet remains fair in economic dimensions. The social dimension encompasses labor availability, interaction among farmers, and supporting government policies and facilities. In contrast, the technological dimension is bolstered by the application of superior varieties, pest and disease control, farming machinery employment, and harvest and post-harvest processing techniques. This study suggested enhancing the coffee industry, market availability, and applying organic fertilizers to strengthen sustainability.