“Coffee is like raising a child," how Mrs. Rizkani nurtures her crops and her community

For Mrs. Rizkani tending a coffee farm is like raising a child, it requires love, patience, and an unwavering commitment to watch something grow. This belief has guided her in the coffee fields of Indonesia but also in building a community of women who nurture their crops and each other. Mrs. Rizkani is the co-founder of Fairtrade certified Koperasi Kopi Wanita Gayo (KOKOWAGAYO), Asia’s first women’s coffee cooperative with 680 members.

Today on International Coffee Day, Fairtrade celebrates not only the beloved beverage and the promotion of fair and equitable trade, but also the coffee farmers whose cultivation makes it all possible. This year, which also marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Fairtrade is shining a spotlight on its female farmers located throughout this world like Mrs. Rizkani. 

How did you get started in coffee farming?

I was born into a farming family. My father was a farmer, so from the time I was born, I was already familiar with the coffee process. My father also bought coffee, so since childhood, I have been around coffee and understood how it was processed. My mother was a trader and ran a shop, so perhaps my sense for business came from her.

Coffee has always been a fundamental part of our lives. Our extended family, on both sides, are all farmers, including my cousins and my grandfather. Since I was little, my parents often took me to the farm. Every Friday, we would go to the farm because school ended earlier that day. That is where I learned how coffee was processed, and over time, it all became part of everyday life.

Then in 2014, I helped establish KOKOWAGAYO, the first all-women Fairtrade coffee cooperative in Indonesia. Before that, I had also observed the process at Permata Gayo Cooperative, established in 2009. From there, we saw that meetings were often held, but women’s roles were frequently overlooked. In fact, women play a very large role in agriculture; nearly 70 percent of those involved are women. Because of that, a few of us came together, discussed it, and began thinking about creating a space specifically for women. That is how KOKOWAGAYO was formed.

As 2026 marks the International Year of the Women Farmer, what does being a woman in agriculture mean today?

For me, taking care of coffee feels like caring for my own children. I learned that from my parents. They always said that coffee must be cared for properly so it can produce good results and help send the children to school. So, caring for coffee is like caring for a child. If the plants are well cared for, the results will be good as well.

That is what I have always held onto while farming. When the harvest is good, there is a happiness of its own. Being a farmer is fulfilling, because we can manage ourselves. If we want good results, then we have to work hard. That is the essence of it.

What are the biggest challenges in coffee farming?

In coffee farming, many tasks require physical strength, such as clearing fields or processing coffee through grinding and drying. For women, those tasks are heavy. Sometimes, if we do not have the time or strength, we pay others to help. During harvest, it is the same; we invite neighbours to help us harvest the farm.

The challenge is not only about the physical work in the fields. Being a woman farmer and a mother means the ability to manage energy and time to children and to household responsibilities.

In addition, women involved in the coffee trade often have difficulty gaining trust in the coffee business because most actors in the supply chain are men. People are often hesitant to do business with women. Another challenge I experienced during my initial year of entering the coffee business before joining Fairtrade was verbal harassment, both in person and through text messages. Because of that, as a woman, I must be firm. I cannot respond gently to things like that.

How do women farmers support each other?

One of the strengths of KOKOWAGAYO is that our focus goes beyond business; we also prioritise the well-being of women farmers, especially their health. For instance, we have partnered with the public health system to provide cervical cancer screenings, an issue that is still often considered taboo. To make this accessible, we invited healthcare workers directly to the village so screenings could be carried out locally.

We also pay close attention to the needs of children. When mothers are working on the farm, arrangements are made so their children are cared for in a safe environment, giving the women peace of mind. These kinds of considerations are often overlooked in men’s cooperatives, but for us, they are essential.

During meetings, members also often share their personal struggles. Sometimes, during health screenings, someone is found to have a serious illness but does not receive support from her family. In those moments, they open up, sometimes through tears. Experiences like these have shown me how important psychological support truly is.

This is why we hope, one day, to provide dedicated psychological support, even though such a program has not yet been implemented. In every household, everyone has their own problems. When these problems are kept inside, the burden becomes heavier. But if someone can meet the right person to talk to, even if a solution does not come right away, sharing can help lighten the weight.

What improvements would help women farmers thrive further?

In coffee farming, there are two things that matter most: compost and pruning. If we take good care of these, God willing, the harvest will turn out well.

So, what is most needed is a strong knowledge about cultivation: how to make and use compost, how to care for the plants, how to get good yields, and how to keep the soil healthy and fertile. As knowledge grows, there are always new ways and techniques we can try to improve our work and our harvest.

What do you value most about being part of the Fairtrade system?

For me, the most valuable part of being in a women’s cooperative within the Fairtrade system is the sense of community. The women who join us also become part of the community. Through this community, they can access opportunities they might not find elsewhere. We have held trainings, like free sewing classes, as well as sessions on how to keep financial records and track harvest results. These skills help them not only in farming, but also in managing their households and planning for the future.

Just as important, they feel they are not alone. There is always someone to share with, to learn from, and to support one another. So, the benefits go beyond income or skills - they also build a sense of belonging and strengthen self-confidence as part of a community.