The Subsidized NPK Specific Formula Fertilizer will be Distributed this Year
Jakarta, November 27, 2019—The success of Cocoa Sustainability Partnership in its efforts to provide the supports of subsidized fertilizer allocation for NPK specific formula fertilizer for cocoa plantation can not be divided from the supports and collaboration of its members. The operational supports from Rainforest Alliance, Yayasan Inisiatif Dagang Hijau, and Rikolto Indonesia are enabling the success of this initiative implementation. The supports are not only in form of operational, other CSP members also allocate their respective resources thus the solid collaboration can be established in processes of gathering the electronic farmer group definitive plan for fertilizer allocation at village level. It also proves that the CSP members in the implementation level have established coordination with the local governments in improving the national cocoa production in the upcoming years.
In accordance with the Three Times Export Movement Program which is initiated by Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, CSP also affords the synergy of program and initiative of sustainable cocoa sector development in Indonesia in order to support this government program. In November 2019, with some representatives of its members, this national platform for sustainable cocoa development in Indonesia is attending the official invitation of Minister of Agriculture in discussing the current condition and prospect of development and improvement of national cocoa production in the future. The result of this meeting, it is agreed that there are three main pillars that must be established together in achieving those objectives. First, the development of certified planting material logistics in the areas of cocoa sector development in fulfilling the access of cocoa farmers on qualified cocoa rootstock and planting materials. This effort is also regarded as the important learning for CSP members that making close the locations of qualified cocoa rootstock and planting material gardens is very vital in improving the cocoa productivity in Indonesia.
Secondly, the provision of NPK specific formula fertilizer for cocoa plantation is important. Remembering that the smallholder cocoa farmers can only afford the fertilizer with limited implementation, and the cocoa-specific fertilizer is very limited and accessible in the field. And lastly, the financial supports for smallholder cocoa farmers in form of People Business Loan (Kredit Usaha Rakyat/KUR) for agriculture and plantation.
These three pillars will need supports of sustainable facilitation processes in the field. By considering that the smallholder cocoa farmers in the centres of sustainable cocoa development in Indonesia must be facilitated continuously in order to ensure that their efforts in increasing the cocoa production nationally can be established. And with this initiative, Cocoa Sustainability Partnership with the Agricultural Extension and Human Resources Development Bureau, Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture had issued a blueprint document called as National Curriculum and Training Modules for Sustainable Cocoa Cultivation and Post-Harvest. This national document is the main reference in conducting the facilitation and training for the smallholder farmers.
Some successes of Cocoa Sustainability Partnership and its members in the efforts of increasing cocoa productivity still need supports from various stakeholders. The full coordination and supports for the implementation in 2020 are the collective actions in improving the smallholder cocoa farmers welfare in Indonesia. This national partnership will establish the collaboration with all stakeholders in ensuring that the government policy and private sector participation will be able in outreaching all sustainable cocoa development in all areas of Indonesia. And this good news in the beginning of the year will be functioned as positive locomotive in wider development and facilitation in the upcoming years.
“The success of distribution and implementation of subsidized cocoa-specific fertilizer will be expected to acquire bigger supports from all stakeholders in 2020 and beyond. Thus, in the upcoming years, the outreaching areas will be widening in order to reach all areas of sustainable cocoa development sector, from Sumatera to Papua,” Wahyu Wibowo says, the Executive Director of Cocoa Sustainability Partnership. (CSP/AH)