From Traditional Kawe Lengkuran to Modern Grafting: A Socio-Historical Analysis of Besemah Coffee Cultivation, Indonesia

The transformation of coffee cultivation in the Besemah highlands demonstrates a negotiation between traditional practices and modern propagation technologies. This study traces changes from kawe lengkuran, an age-old technique of regenerating old stems, to grafting systems that utilize local rootstocks and superior scion varieties. Using mixed methods integrating ethnographic documentation, documentation of locally recognized grafted coffee clones and their farmer-reported traits, and a quantitative survey based on five dimensions of farmer rationality, this study reveals that innovation adoption proceeds through interconnected rationalities influenced by socio-ecological contexts. The analysis shows that kawe lengkuran continues to shape how farmers evaluate cultivation effectiveness, while grafting increasingly trusted for improving productivity and enhancing disease resistance. Variations cross three hamlets illustrate that local history, elevation differences, and social networks influence farmers' technical decisions, whereas knowledge dimensions, intention to adopt technology, and social norms show relatively uniform patterns, reflecting a shared readiness for vegetative innovation. This study demonstrates that the transition from kawe lengkuran to grafting reflects a socio-ecological reconfiguration in which traditions, farmer roles, and modern agronomy practices interact to drive changes in the Besemah coffee plantation system, thereby broadening our understanding of smallholder innovation dynamics and the co-evolution of traditional and modern agricultural knowledge.