UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL OF COFFEE SMALLHOLDERS ON THE COFFEE-GROWING ACTIVITIES IN PAGAR ALAM, INDONESIA

Abstract

The demand for coffee has gradually increased in the last two decades. The farmer empowerment is implemented by the government to the coffee smallholders through the grafting technique in order to supply its commodity. Nevertheless, its program has not reached the expected goal. An understanding of social capital of coffee smallholders in the coffee-growing activities will help the government to design an effective empowerment program. The study identifies the social capital of coffee smallholders in the coffee-growing activities. The qualitative method using ethnography approach was employed. Participative field observation and interview methods were used to obtain the primary data. Taxonomic and social network analyses were employed to obtain information about the social capital of coffee smallholders. The findings suggested that the trust among the coffee smallholders was strongly bonded in each process of coffee production. Furthermore, teamwork was found as another variable that made the bond stronger in all steps of coffee-growing activities but the maintenance process. The value or norm was the last variable found in the study which could tighten among coffee smallholders to make trust and teamwork.