The Project: Tri Maju, an Indonesian agricultural processing business, was founded in 1967 and currently serves as the primary processor for ForesTrade Indonesia. Tri Maju purchases coffee from the producers of the Gayo Organic Coffee Farmers Association (PPKGO), a cooperative comprised of 1,400 small-scale coffee producers in Central Aceh on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. PPKGO is the first and only coffee cooperative in Indonesia that is fair trade certified and focused on the production of 100 percent shade-grown organic coffee.

The Deal: In November 2004, Verde Ventures approved an investment of $350,000 in Tri Maju for the purchase of coffee from PPKGO members engaged in sustainable coffee production in Central Aceh.

The Benefit to Conservation: The project will help protect, restore, and maintain more than 6,000 hectares of the Gunung Leuser Ecosystem in the Sundaland biodiversity hotspot. The 1,400 participating farmers commit to refrain from hunting, logging, or clearing of new forest land for agriculture. In addition, all participants adhere to conservation-oriented coffee production practices, which are monitored annually.