Covid-19 Risk Mitigation at KUB Coffee Buying Facilities in Tanggamus - Lampung
Covid-19 Risk Mitigation at KUB Coffee Buying Facilities in Tanggamus - Lampung
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the public-private partnership, Coffee+* has supported the local coffee buying facilities of coffee farmers’ undertaking groups (KUB**) with Covid-19 health protocol guidelines and personal protection equipment (PPE) aimed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 disease. Packages of non-contactable body thermometers, face shields, masks and hand sanitisers have been distributed to four KUBs located in six sub-districts of the Coffee+ project areas in Tanggamus district, Lampung Province. Following the distribution delivered on 1,2, 9 and 10 September 2020, there were socialisation done by the private project partners, Nestlé, on COVID-19 awareness and the need for health protocol compliance.
KUB’s coffee buying facilities, as a marketplace for coffee buying during the peak season, there will be around 50 to 100 people visiting and gathering at KUB’s facilities daily, ranging from farmers, middleman, staff and workers. Such activities make the buying facilities as a high-risk place for the spread of COVID-19. Khufron, a staff of KUB Rendingan said that he was grateful for care and support provided by Coffee+, that made him understand and implement the health protocol correctly in their daily operation. He has no more worries to have contact and interaction with other people at the coffee buying facilities with the health protocol. In addition, Syahrudi, Head of Agriculture Service Nestlé Indonesia stated that despite some challenges during the pandemic, Nestlé is committed and working hard to ensure the safety and health of all people along its value chain including the green coffee supplier and farmers grouped under KUBs by implementing the health protocol.
*The Coffee+ project implemented jointly by Nestlé working in development partnership with GIZ unit, the Business Hub – a project management office that supports the engagement of commercial enterprises in sustainable development initiatives – since January 2018 to improve the economic situation of smallholder coffee farmers in selected areas in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand in profitable and sustainable way and thus increase their yields and incomes.
**KUB is coffee farmers’ undertaking Group consisting of several coffee farmers who collaborate to achieve their common purpose in improving their livelihood through good coffee farming practices.
