Gendered exclusion and governance failures in Indonesia’s Gayo coffee sector: towards inclusive and equitable agrarian development

Abstract

This paper explores structural gendered exclusion in Indonesia's governance of the Gayo coffee sector. Although Gayo coffee has an international reputation as a premium Arabica, the distribution of benefits is highly skewed in favor of men, leaving women excluded mainly from land ownership, leadership, and decision-making opportunities. Based on qualitative data, such as interviews, field assessments, and document reviews, the study explores how governance systems in both corporate and state agencies replicate patriarchal power structures. These underperforming systems inhibit transparency, engagement, and legitimacy. The analysis employs the concepts of publicness and public value to demonstrate that such institutional arrangements are the source of continuing gender-based exclusion and inequitable development. Results indicate that the absence of regulatory clarity and male dominance in decision-making undermine women’s needs and limit their value addition. The study concludes that changing cooperative alliances, demystifying legal systems, and incorporating gender justice are critical to developing a more inclusive and sustainable coffee industry in Gayo. This research contributes to broader debates on gender, governance, and rural development in Indonesia.