From City Lights to Coffee Hills: A Graduates Return to the Soil

TheIndonesia.co - Cities certainly promise various conveniences and opportunities. Social and economic status can indeed rise. But the urban hustle and bustle did not make Hamzah, 29, budge. While young people race to 'challenge' city life, Hamzah has instead returned to the village. He has two goals: to farm coffee and to be closer to his family.

The forestry graduate refused to settle down after years of experiencing the frenzy of Makassar City and Morowali Regency, South Sulawesi. He chose to return to his hometown in Kahayya Village, Kindang District, Bulukumba Regency, to revive the coffee plantation left by his parents.

In Makassar, Hamzah studied at a university. While attending lectures, he also worked as an embroidery operator and designer. After years in Makassar, Hamzah decided to move for work to Morowali Regency. However, his biggest decision was when he returned to the village to become a coffee farmer.

Indeed, the decision was not without consideration. He ended 12 years of migration outside Kahayya Village solely out of a desire to be closer to his family. Moreover, Hamzah's parents in the village are getting older. Naturally, they need Hamzah's attention. Currently, he has lived in the village for nearly three years to farm coffee.

"I worked in Makassar for a while, then went to Morowali. In the last two or three years, I returned to Kahayya to farm coffee. I left the city and came back to the village because I wanted to be closer to my family. Besides my parents being quite old, I realised the coffee yield is sufficient for daily needs," said Hamzah when met recently.

According to Hamzah, the income earned in the city and the village is essentially not much different. In fact, he said, the total earnings are relatively similar. But what distinguishes them is the intensity of the income. In the city, he received a monthly salary. In the village, it is different. He sparks income seasonally from coffee.

"The income from coffee compared to working in the city, the figures are almost comparable. It's just that working in the city means a monthly income. Meanwhile, coffee is seasonal. But for the numbers, yes, they are equivalent. On the other hand, here in Kahayya Village, I am close to my family," Hamzah explained.

Planting Coffee, Nurturing Family Heritage

Hamzah's move back to the village is not merely a matter of past romanticism. Instead, it was a conscious decision to protect the family heritage—in the form of farmland—while building a more sustainable future.

Hamzah's parents inherited about three hectares of land. The land was divided among Hamzah and his six siblings. The mandate was simply to replant the vacant land. Currently, Hamzah has fulfilled that parental wish. Approximately one hectare of the field has been planted with coffee by Hamzah.

"I am one of seven siblings, so the land was divided. There was a wish from my parents that the empty land be planted again. Now, I have planted less than one hectare. It's not fully complete yet because I have only recently lived in the village," Hamzah explained.

Coffee is certainly not something foreign to Hamzah's family. For generations, coffee has been an inseparable part of his family. He recalls how life in Kahayya Village has always been closely related to coffee plants. From his ancestors to his parents, the majority were coffee farmers.

"In terms of coffee, actually my parents and ancestors were mostly coffee farmers. They have been involved in coffee farming for a long time. So, even though we migrated or left for school in the morning, we still headed to the coffee garden. However, currently, my parents spend more time at home. I am the one who goes down to the field," said Hamzah.

Not only that, Hamzah admitted he gained knowledge about coffee from his family. Every day, Hamzah along with his parents and other family members were accustomed to going down to the garden. During that time, he often observed his family's activities in the field, from planting to picking the red cherries and other coffee-related processes.

Citing the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute website, 'red picking' (petik merah) means harvesting coffee berries that have turned red. The advantage is that the fruit quality is excellent, resulting in high-quality dry beans. Red picking has the challenge of chasing the exact ripeness. Coffee fruit will not be allowed to overripen, and those not yet ripe will not be picked.

In the farming process, Hamzah is not alone. He receives support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) Indonesia, which provides training and assistance. This programme introduced him to sustainable farming practices and high-quality coffee processing.

The harvest volume has also been quite enticing during Hamzah's two years of coffee farming. From the last harvest with his parents, for example, Hamzah managed to produce about one tonne of coffee. The most common type planted in Kahayya Village is Arabica coffee.

"Roughly one tonne. I am one of seven siblings. Each person's harvest is different. The one tonne was from me and my parents. The coffee planted here is Arabica. The focus here is on Arabica. Regarding the varieties, the farmers are not aware. They just know it is Arabica," said Hamzah.

A Peaceful, Independent, and More Meaningful Life

After more than a decade of living away, Hamzah admitted to feeling a bit like a stranger when he first returned. However, that feeling gradually vanished, replaced by the comfort of a peaceful and quiet life in his hometown. Hamzah admitted, "It still felt a bit foreign. But living here is better, more comfortable and peaceful in the village."

Farming coffee indeed gives Hamzah freedom. Not only that, he also gains an autonomy he did not feel while working in the big city. Even while staying in Kahayya Village, Hamzah has adopted a 'slow living' style—a concept of living more meaningfully and enjoying everything. In this case, Hamzah enjoys the rhythm of life as a farmer.

"It’s fun. There's no pressure either. When working outside, there is a boss. Most likely there is pressure every day. Now, farming is free. The important thing is discipline, whether you want to go out in the morning or afternoon. We manage it ourselves," Hamzah shared, grateful for his life now.

Hamzah is also not satisfied with just farming coffee. Currently, he and his family are developing the coffee garden into a nature-based tourist destination. They are even preparing public facilities for visitors and strategies to open possibilities for educational tourism.

"We also want to hold tourism activities while picking coffee. So the development isn't just about camping. There will be education about coffee," said Hamzah.

Young People Should Not Be Ashamed to Be Farmers

As a young person choosing to return to farming in the village, Hamzah is aware of the lack of youth involvement. Especially nowadays, agriculture is not exactly one of the fields most coveted by young people. Therefore, he hopes his story can inspire other youths not to hesitate in choosing a similar path.

"At the moment, there aren't many young coffee farmers. Moreover, the orientation of young people today is to want to work in the city. This is what I feel now while living in the village. From me to the youth, don't be ashamed to farm, especially coffee farming. Especially since coffee, as known here, is quite promising for young people," Hamzah expressed.

With an academic background in forestry, as well as a love for his birthplace, Hamzah shows that farming can be a promising profession—not just from an economic side, but also from the aspects of environmental sustainability and quality of life.

"In terms of the differences between the city or the village itself, there are many. Starting from our closeness to family, especially since the majority are in the village. Now, in terms of income, with the same nominal amount, of course, I am happier living in the village," Hamzah explained.

Moreover, he added, seeing current coffee developments, it is priced quite promisingly for the future. That is one of the things that makes him reluctant to return to the city's hustle.

"Currently, I haven't thought about returning to the city; I still want to be in the village," said Hamzah.

With every coffee bean sown, Hamzah plants hope: that returning to the village is not a step backward, but a step forward for life. He is now closer to nature, family, and a future that is certainly sustainable and enduring.