One thing that strikes me hardest when setting foot in the coffee communities of the Ermera district, Timor-Leste, is the number of families within each community, all relying on the incomes generated from their annual coffee harvest. Laughing kids run and play, although their heads swivel in our direction when we arrive; who are these strange 'Malay' (foreigners)? You can imagine them wondering. There are several babies in the arms of either their mothers or another relation. These are tight-knit communities where multiple family members raise children - the definition of 'it takes a village'.
We are shown to the beds of parchment coffee, beans with a layer of skin still attached lay drying in the hot Timorese sun. We start to inspect handfuls of beans using a moisture analyser. The children eagerly watch over our shoulders as the analyser displays the moisture percentage on a brightly lit LED screen. I hope this early immersion into coffee production could be a catalyst for these children to grow into knowledgeable and skilled generational coffee farmers.
Despite widespread food insecurity within these communities, the level of generosity is very high, and a delicious spread of food is always served to guests. Traditions and customs like these act as cornerstones to creating the society by which these communities survive. Our meal, a simple yet delicious spread of chicken, rice, and boiled vegetables, is a testament to this generosity. Served with some of the most delicious chilli garnishes I've ever tasted, this meal is a unique experience I'm eager to recreate back home.
After lunch, we get out our little 200-gram coffee roaster, and some green coffee is prepared. The preparation involves the removal of the parchment layer of the coffee, which is done with a sizeable hollowed-out stump that acts as the mortar and a tree branch shaped into a large pestle. We’re encouraged to try the process ourselves, our attempts are something the locals find rather humorous. We are then politely moved aside as the 'professionals' take over, to ensure the preparation happens before nightfall! As the roaster kicks into action, the lights in the house flicker and dim, and we hope we don't blow any of the fragile electrical infrastructure in the remote village. The coffee roasted during this session will later fuel Andrew and me for the rest of our journey around Timor, and I have to be honest: I am a little disappointed to go back to drinking Matanova when this small batch runs out.
We embark on our drive back to Dili, and even though it is only 50 - 60km, it takes 3.5 hours. The reason for this is the incredibly rough terrain and low-quality unsealed roads. I never knew the purpose of the handles above car doors until I drove in Timor-Leste! We stop at a house on the outskirts of the community. The house is high in the mountains and has a stunning 180-degree view of the twisting jungle, dotted with villages and communities, below. As we walk up the driveway, we are greeted by another group of families who are hard at work, painstakingly hand-sorting coffee cherries. Following a few coffee farmers, we round the back of the house and head up a small dirt path into the undergrowth, and then the jungle swallows us whole. Only some 100m from the house, the farmers start to point out the coffee cherries growing wildly on the trees; it would have been easy to walk past and not notice them.
I often sit and contemplate these communities as I drink my morning coffee. I think of the friendly farmers, their families, and the laughing children. I think about their struggle and the incredible amount of work that goes into a single harvest. How will the changing climate affect future yields? What will the coffee market look like in the next ten or so years? How will this impact the ability of communities like these to survive? How do we help Australian consumers understand the fragility of the coffee industry as a whole, and why paying fairly for our morning latte or monthly bag of beans, really, does matter?
We are so thankful to all of you, our customers, for the incredible support you provide. Your generosity enables us to continue supporting these communities, and we hope you continue to enjoy their coffee and the stories we share of the coffee journey.