Drying Parchment Establishment

Climate change is making coffee farming more challenging in Timor-Leste. One of the consequences of climate change is unpredictable rainfall, making it difficult for farmers to dry coffee parchment. Coffee farmers have been having difficulty drying coffee in recent years due to increasing rainfall in the dry season. To help address these challenges, MDF Timor-Leste has partnered with Karst, a specialty green bean supplier that sources Arabica beans from smallholder farmers in Timor-Leste. Karst builds sustainable relationships with farmers by offering infrastructure for better processing and storage, as well as training opportunities focused on producing specialty coffee.

With the support of MDF, Karst, assists farmers in adapting techniques to counter the challenges posed by climate change during the drying of their parchment. Karst has introduced portable drying racks that allow farmers to quickly move their coffee should rain begin to fall. These racks are also stackable, ensuring good ventilation for the parchment even when placed under cover.

The use of these drying racks enables 130 farmers to dry coffee as usual during sunny periods, while also taking advantage of airflow and shade during cloudier afternoons. Furthermore, these racks serve as excellent sorting tables, allowing farmers to inspect and sort parchment for defects. MDF is exploring ways to increase the use of innovative drying technologies in coffee in response to climate change in Timor-Leste.