Jakarta. State-owned bank BNI is seeking to empower Indonesian coffee farmers via its Jejak Kopi Katulistiwa initiative.

This program sees the establishment of a green economy financing ecosystem for coffee farmers and stakeholders. Among others by forming a closed-loop financial ecosystem. BNI is also teaming up with the Environment Ministry and SOE Ministry Coffee PMO to empower coffee farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

According to Putrama Wahju Setyawan, the director for retail banking at BNI, the bank also provides export training via Xpora School. The Jejak Kopi Katulistiwa program aims to empower communities around the forests to be free of poverty and spur an equitable economy by conserving the forests.

This is done by giving access to financing to farmers who have forest management rights from the Environment Ministry. BNI also distributes the microcredit program, BNI Wira Usaha (BWU), and other commercial credit.

“BNI will continue to encourage innovative programs. "We hope that this activity is also part of encouraging sustainable national financial inclusion for communities in areas around forests," he said.

BNI already launched its Jejak Kopi Katulistiwa in Garut (West Java), Kember (East Java), Rejang Lebong (Bengkulu), and Temanggung (Central Java). The Lintong Nihuta village in North Sumatra became the latest addition in an effort to promote Lintong coffee.

"BNI will carry out business matching between farmers and MSMEs of Lintong Coffee commodities with overseas markets. Hopefully, the Lintong Coffee will penetrate the export market so that it can contribute to the local economy," he said.