In an interview with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) biotechnologist Dr Elexson Nillian in 2021, he vowed to bring the ethnic minority community — Cebup — far and beyond.
Today, the Cebup descendant has laid the stepping stone for the villagers in Long Selapun, by the Tinjar River in Upper Baram, through coffee cultivation.
“Though my aim has always been to educate the public about the Cebup community’s language and culture, following the pandemic, it has become more about helping them in earning a living. Because of the years of COVID-19, the village’s socioeconomic status has dwindled, with the factories producing timber closing and the villagers left with no stable income,” he shared.
After numerous considerations and discussions with parties from the local coffee industry, Elexson said that the villagers were sold coffee seedlings to start up their plantation.
In collaboration with Rekajaya Plantation Sdn Bhd, Elexson and the team guided the villagers on how to cultivate coffee seedlings from scratch.
Last year, he expressed gratitude for the gradual fruition of the seedlings, resulting in a good harvest.
The good that came from the harvest was that other villagers showed an interest in starting a coffee plantation, creating an opportunity for those living nearby.
“It is a lucrative commodity, and the villagers understand that. Though it is a new agricultural focus, I know that many farms are picking it up. I visited a farm in Serian and know that planting coffee can be successful. Even in Long Lelang, the villagers had received their return on investments (ROI) and are now able to purchase machinery to assist them.”
Coffee beans: a good income source
Apart from guiding the villagers in their coffee plantation endeavour, Elexson also did in-depth research on the commodity at UNIMAS.
At his village, the villagers plant liberica beans, which have a smoky, woody, and nutty flavour and are said to have a more balanced taste.
“The fruits came after two years, and the villagers began to harvest. I also bought a de-pulper machine to help folks at the village get rid of the pulp.”
According to the biotechnologist, after the first fruit, the villagers will have a good harvest twice a year, which may be sold and provide an income for months.
“One tree, which can live for 50 years, can produce up to 20 kilogrammes of fruit. There are now up to 3,000 trees in Long Selapun and surrounding villages, all of which are managed by the locals. With this progress, my next aim is to have a designated collection centre there,” he said.
Elexson disclosed that a harvest can earn a farmer up to RM6,000.
“A good quality tree can earn its farmer RM600. Furthermore, they are staying in the village, where the cost of living is lower than in town.”
More about Liberica
Elexson characterised the liberica bean seedling as being easily adaptable regardless of conditions.
“Farmers simply need to keep an eye on growth, pruning, and other processes like fertilisation and watering. I chose this bean to reduce the challenges that may arise when planting coffee beans.”
The weather in Long Selapun is similar to that in Kuching. And, after harvesting the beans and testing them, Elexson discovered that the beans planted in his village had a greater caffeine level.
“My team and I are still looking into the cause and effect; however, I do know that the plant releases caffeine to protect itself. It is possible that the higher caffeine level could be related to the environment in the village,” he said, adding the caffeine level is important in determining the quality of a bean.
“I know that having this plantation provided job opportunities for the villagers. Hopefully, they will be able to become professional coffee planters and share their knowledge with other villages nearby.”
In the future, Elexson hopes to promote his village’s agrotourism, not only through coffee beans but also through other attractions like its waterfall and cave.
Until then, the bright Cebup fellow is working hard to achieve his ambitions for his little village in the Upper Baram.
