Agricultural Experiments at Vaitea Farm
The Rapa Nui’s Experimental Coffee Kape Café, At the beginning of 2018 in the Department of Natural Resources of the Ma’u Henua Community began developing experimental plantings of plants that are endemic or have been introduced over time. The goal is to generate a bank of species of native plants (taro, kumara – sweet potato, manioc, etc.), medicinal plants and introduced fruit for the community. The plantation can be found at the Vaitea Farm, a rural area of great historical importance due to its agricultural and livestock use in the period when the Island was administered by the Compañía Explotadora de Isla de Pascua (1905-1953). This sector offers favorable climatic conditions for developing sustainable agricultural projects for rescue and preservation, which could be visited by tourists and locals alike.
Rescuing the Ancestral Manavai System
Mariana Olivares-Tuki, head of the Department of Natural Resources, states: “The Vaitea Farm was handed over to be administered by Ma’u Henua in 2017. It was really not in optimum condition for agricultural work. It took us around a year to clean it and work up the soil, since it was like a garbage dump, especially as a ‘cemetery’ for the old machinery from the sheep ranch. On the farm, there are two important spots — the forest and the home farm. Our most important work has been done in the forest, where we held several activities to rescue the native plants and organize ancestral plots, using the ancient techniques of ‘stone gardens’ and the manavai (an old system of stone windbreaks) with the residues from the forest floor and making our own ‘potting soil’ through natural decomposition, without any chemical products, as well as setting up the ‘stone gardens’ for cultivation and adapting this ancestral system to the modern technology of today.”
History and Production of Rapanui Coffee
Coffee came to Easter Island in the 19th Century, when it is thought to have been brought by the Compañía Explotadora de Isla de Pascua and later cultivated by the islanders. Today, what remains is considered to be a coffee that is exclusively Rapanui. Mariana Olivares tells us that: “on April 13th of last year, Ma’u Henua began a plantation of coffee together with the children of the community in an activity of kakimikaoka te mamari (the day of the Easter bunny), which was organized by the Municipality. To date, we have around 400 coffee plants of about 1.20 meters (4 feet) high. In this first stage, we have already seen some production. The harvest gave us around one kilogram (2.2 lbs) of coffee per plant, which will allow us to check the quality of the product and determine the feasibility of continuing. Our goal is to give it an added-value by identifying it as exclusive to Rapa Nui.”
The Water Challenge: Toward a Sustainable Project
“Our most important challenge is the access to water. We are currently working on a project to set up a humidifier which can capture particles of humidity in the air and convert them into water. At a minimum, it should be 5,000 liters (1,320 gallons) per day. To get to that, we need to form some alliances with other organizations. We have to be prepared for climate change.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Rapa Nui Coffee
Where is Rapa Nui’s experimental coffee grown?
It is grown at Vaitea Farm, a rural area administered by Ma’u Henua since 2017, historically used as a sheep ranch by the Compañía Explotadora de Isla de Pascua between 1905 and 1953.
When did coffee planting begin on Rapa Nui?
Planting began on April 13, 2018, in an activity organized by the Municipality together with children from the community, as part of the kakimikaoka te mamari (Easter bunny day) celebration.
What is the manavai system?
It is an ancestral Rapanui system of stone gardens used to protect crops and retain soil moisture, which the Ma’u Henua team has rescued and adapted with modern technology at Vaitea Farm.
What is the main challenge facing the coffee project?
Access to water. Ma’u Henua is working on a humidifier machine capable of capturing ambient moisture and converting it into at least 5,000 liters of water daily, in partnership with other organizations.
