Field Visit of Coordinating MInistry for Economic Affairs in Tarengge, East Luwu

East Luwu, January 25, 2022—After several coordination meetings related to the plan to increase national cocoa productivity, Cocoa Sustainability Partnership together with the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs conducted a field visit to East Luwu, South Sulawesi, earlier this year.

In the discussion session, Deputy for Food and Agribusiness Coordination, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Dr. Ir. Musdhalifah Machmud, MT. said that in an effort to increase cocoa productivity, the government was currently trying to identify several clusters of cocoa development areas that must be developed together in order to strengthen the cocoa sector as one of the national strategic commodities. “The current cacao development cluster, especially in Sulawesi, must be considered for its maximum development. One of the efforts that can be implemented is planning activities that will direct to increase national cocoa productivity through a holistic approach,” said the Deputy for Food and Agribusiness Coordination. This discussion session was also attended by the Regent of North Luwu, the Regent of East Luwu, the head of the Local Development Planning Office of North Kolaka District, and representatives of other relevant government agencies.

All of these activities were held at the Mars Cocoa Development Center in Tarengge, East Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi. And this activity was also attended by representatives of farmers from several nearby areas, banks, and also the Cocoa Doctors who were directly facilitated by PT. Mars Symbioscience Indonesia in supporting local cocoa farmers.

In addition to the discussion session, the participants were also invited to see how PT. Mars Symbioscience Indonesia had been conducting research and development of cocoa so far, and several cocoa plantation management practices using appropriate technology. At the end of the activity, the participants also planted cocoa plants together.

These field visits and discussions were able to produce a foundation for cooperation between parties in developing a roadmap that could be implemented together by involving the public sector, industries, research institutions, cocoa associations, and smallholder cocoa farmers. “The formulation of the sustainable cocoa development roadmap is a testament to the commitment of the parties in the cocoa sector to improve the standard of living of smallholder cocoa farmers through increasing the maximum harvest capacity of farmers. And CSP as a forum for partnerships at the national level is trying its best to build cooperation between the parties in achieving these goals," said Wahyu Wibowo, Executive Director of Cocoa Sustainability Partnership. (CSP/AH)