Vol. 120 No. 1 (2026)
Research Papers

From Traditional Kawe Lengkuran to Modern Grafting: A Socio-Historical Analysis of Besemah Coffee Cultivation, Indonesia

PDF
  • Fenky Marsandi,
  • Hendra Gunawan,
  • Nur Muhammad Heriyanto,
  • Mulyati Rahayu,
  • Setyawan Agung Danarto,
  • Akhamd Mahbubi,
  • Hari Prayogi,
  • Muhamad Nikmatullah,
  • Ismet Faisal,
  • Yogi Isro
Fenky Marsandi
Research Center for Biota Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
Hendra Gunawan
Research Center for Ecology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
Nur Muhammad Heriyanto
Research Center for Ecology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
Mulyati Rahayu
Research Center for Ecology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
Setyawan Agung Danarto
Research Center for Ecology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
Akhamd Mahbubi
Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, South Tangerang, Indonesia
Hari Prayogi
Research Center for Limnology and Water Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
Muhamad Nikmatullah
Research Center for Ecology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
Ismet Faisal
Department of Education and Culture of Pagar Alam City, Gunung Gare Government Complex, Pagar Alam City, South Sumatra, Indonesia
Yogi Isro
Department of Computer Science, Institut Teknologi Pagar Alam (ITPa), Pagar Alam City, South Sumatra, Indonesia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-19732

Published 2026-06-29

Keywords

  • coffee cultivation,
  • traditional knowledge,
  • grafting,
  • kawe lengkuran,
  • Mount Dempo

How to Cite

Marsandi, F., Gunawan, H., Heriyanto, N. M., Rahayu, M., Danarto, S. A., Mahbubi, A., Prayogi, H., Nikmatullah, M., Faisal, I., & Isro, Y. (2026). From Traditional Kawe Lengkuran to Modern Grafting: A Socio-Historical Analysis of Besemah Coffee Cultivation, Indonesia. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development (JAEID), 120(1), 123–142. https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-19732

Copyright (c) 2026 Fenky Marsandi, Hendra Gunawan, Nur Muhammad Heriyanto, Mulyati Rahayu, Setyawan Agung Danarto, Akhamd Mahbubi, Hari Prayogi, Muhamad Nikmatullah, Ismet Faisal, Yogi Isro

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Abstract

The transformation of coffee cultivation in the Besemah highlands demonstrates a negotiation between traditional practices and modern propagation technologies. This study traces changes from kawe lengkuran, an age-old technique of regenerating old stems, to grafting systems that utilize local rootstocks and superior scion varieties. Using mixed methods integrating ethnographic documentation, documentation of locally recognized grafted coffee clones and their farmer-reported traits, and a quantitative survey based on five dimensions of farmer rationality, this study reveals that innovation adoption proceeds through interconnected rationalities influenced by socio-ecological contexts. The analysis shows that kawe lengkuran continues to shape how farmers evaluate cultivation effectiveness, while grafting increasingly trusted for improving productivity and enhancing disease resistance. Variations cross three hamlets illustrate that local history, elevation differences, and social networks influence farmers' technical decisions, whereas knowledge dimensions, intention to adopt technology, and social norms show relatively uniform patterns, reflecting a shared readiness for vegetative innovation. This study demonstrates that the transition from kawe lengkuran to grafting reflects a socio-ecological reconfiguration in which traditions, farmer roles, and modern agronomy practices interact to drive changes in the Besemah coffee plantation system, thereby broadening our understanding of smallholder innovation dynamics and the co-evolution of traditional and modern agricultural knowledge.

PDF

References

  1. Bracken, P., Burgess, P.J., & Girkin, N.T. (2023). Opportunities for enhancing the climate resilience of coffee production through improved crop, soil and water management. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 47(8), 1-33. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2023.2225438
  2. Cahyono, E.D., Mcnamara, N.P, Fairuzzana, S., Pradesti, E., Noordwijk, M.V., Willianto, D., & Rowe, R.L. (2020). Agroforestry Innovation through Planned Farmer Behavior: Trimming in Pine–Coffee Systems. Land, 9(10), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/land9100363.
  3. Córdova, R., Kanninen, M., & Hogarth, N.J. (2018). Sustainability of Smallholder Livelihoods in the Ecuadorian Highlands: A Comparison of Agroforestry and Conventional Agriculture Systems in the Indigenous Territory of Kayambi People. Land, 7(2), 1-31. https://doi.org/10.3390/land7020045.
  4. Faronny, D.I., Rahma, M.J., Sunarharum, W.B., Hakim, L. (2024). Local Ecological Knowledge of Liberoid Coffee Farmers in Banyuwangi: an Ancestral Legacy in Preserving the Natural Environment. Jurnal Presipitasi, 21(1), 249-263. https://doi.org/10.14710/presipitasi.v21i1.249-263
  5. Kuyah, S., Ndayisaba, P.C., Öborn, I., Dimobe, K., Nkurunziza, L., Chirinda, N., Sileshi, G.W. (2021). Innovative agronomic practices for sustainable intensification in sub-Saharan Africa. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 41(2), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-021-00673-4
  6. Martinez, H.E.P., Santos, R.H.S, Andrade, S.A.L.D., Mazzafera, P., Baptistella, J.L.C. (2024). Agronomic practices toward coffee sustainability. A review. Scientia Agricola, 81, 1-23. 10.1590/1678-992X-2022-0277.
  7. Nguyen, M.P., Pagella, T., Vaast, P., Sinclair, F. (2020). Local Knowledge about Ecosystem Services Provided by Trees in Coffee Agroforestry Practices in Northwest Vietnam. Land, 9(12), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.3390/land9120486
  8. Nguyen, N., Drakou, E.G. (2021). Farmers intention to adopt sustainable agriculture hinges on climate awareness: The case of Vietnamese coffee. Journal of Cleaner Production, 303, 1-11. 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126828
  9. Poncet, V., van Asten, P., Millet, C.P., Vaast, P., Alline, C. (2024). Which diversification trajectories make coffee farming more sustainable ?. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 68, 1-11. 10.1016/j.cosust.2024.101432
  10. Razi, K., Suresh P., Mahapatra, P. P., Al Murad, M., Venkat, A., Notaguchi, M., Bae, D. W., Prakash, M.A.S., Muneer, S. (2024). Exploring the role of grafting in abiotic stress management: Contemporary insights and automation trends. Plant Direct, 8(12), 1-24. 10.1002/pld3.70021
  11. Tilley, L. (2020). Extractive investibility in historical colonial perspective: the emerging market and its antecedents in Indonesia. Review of International Political Economy, 28(5), 1099–1118. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2020.1763423
  12. Turčinović, M., Vujko, A., Stanišić, N. (2025). Community-Led Sustainable Tourism in Rural Areas: Enhancing Wine Tourism Destination Competitiveness and Local Empowerment. Sustainability, 17(7), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17072878
  13. Vanclay, F. (2004). Social principles for agricultural extension to assist in the promotion of natural resource management. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 44(3), 213–222. 10.1071/EA02139
  14. Wright. D.R., Gordon, A., Garrard, G.E., Bennett, R.E., Rodewald, A.D., Selinske, M.J., Lentini, P.E., Bekessy, S.A. (2024). Sustainable coffee: A review of the diverse initiatives and governance dimensions of global coffee supply chains. Ambio, 53(7), 984–1001. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-024-02003-w
  15. Yanou, M.P., Ros-Tonen, M.A.F., Reed, J., Moombe, K., Sunderland, T. (2023). Integrating local and scientific knowledge: The need for decolonising knowledge for conservation and natural resource management. Heliyon, 9(11), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21785
  16. Zhao, P., Zhang, W., Liu, T., Cai, W. (2022). The impact of digital finance use on sustainable agricultural practices adoption among smallholder farmers: an evidence from rural China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(26), 39281–39294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-18939-z