Entitled ‘Green Prosperity’, the project will build knowledge and skills among 58,000 cocoa farms, with women and vulnerable groups among those benefiting from the scheme.
Green Prosperity is designed to include stakeholders from across the cocoa value chain, with the goal of creating a self-sustaining model that increases revenues for participating cocoa farmers and associated businesses and will run until the end of March 2018.
Sensible financial management
The project is being spread across 14 districts in South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and East Nusa Tenggara Provinces.
It is led by development foundation Swisscontact, which has been working in Indonesia since 1972. Other members of the consortium include Millennium Challenge Account Indonesia, the World Cocoa Foundation, Rabobank, BT Cocoa, Guittard, Veco Indonesia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, and PT Bank Pembangunan Daerah NTT. The project will also involve national and local governments, regional cocoa groups, and the Cocoa Sustainability Partnership (CSP) to share knowledge across the sector.
Farmers will learn more about environmentally friendly cocoa farming, improved nutrition practices, and sensible financial management.
The value of cooperation
Funding comes from equal investment from the consortium and Millennium Challenge Account Indonesia, bringing $15m to the cocoa sector.
US donor agency Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which is involved through Millennium Challenge Account Indonesia, said the project demonstrates a strong relationship between the US and Indonesia.
“By supporting economic growth and development, we are working together to ensure a better future for Indonesians and Americans alike,” said Dana J. Hyde, CEO of Millennium Challenge Corporation.
“This partnership will enable farmers to increase their productivity and their incomes, and bring the value of cooperation which is crucial for sustainability and future economic growth,” added Lukita Dinarsyah Tuwo, chairman of the board of trustees, MCA-Indonesia.