In Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, cocoa has long been part of farmers’ lives. Since the 1980s, smallholder farmers have begun cultivating cocoa with limited support, relying on government-provided seedlings but lacking the guidance needed to build structured and sustainable farms.
Over time, cocoa became the backbone of local livelihoods. Yet as years passed, new challenges emerged. Most cocoa trees are aged, many now over 20 to 30 years old, and productivity has sharply declined, dropping from 1.5 tons per hectare in 2012 to as low as 200–400 kilograms in 2022.
Despite these challenges, farmers remained committed.
“We have always relied on cocoa,” shared Muhiddin, head of a local farmer group. “But we began to realize that depending on a single crop is not enough. We needed new ways to improve our farms and incomes.”
Farmers began experimenting, planting trees, integrating crops, and testing new practices, but these efforts were often done individually, without a clear system or shared direction.
That began to change with the support of the Mitra Agribisnis Mandiri Amanah Cooperative.
In 2023, the cooperative received USD 20,000 in funding through the APFP-FO4A program to strengthen sustainable fermented cocoa production. More than just financial support, the initiative helped build farmers’ capacities, from grassroots organizational management to connecting directly with buyers.
The Asia-Pacific Farmers’ Program (APFP) – Farmers’ Organizations for Asia (FO4A) is implemented by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and La Via Campesina (LVC), with funding from the European Union (EU) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The program aims to strengthen the capacities of farmers’ organizations to provide economic services, advocate for enabling policies, and promote sustainable livelihoods for small-scale family farmers across Asia.
“We are now better organized and more connected to markets,” explained Parmansyah, the cooperative’s cocoa business and trade manager.
At the farm level, a quiet transformation is underway.
With technical support from partners such as Rikolto, farmers are learning how to rejuvenate their aging cocoa trees through proper pruning and cutting techniques—encouraging new growth without cutting down trees that still hold high-quality genetic potential.
At the same time, agroforestry is taking root.
While elements of agroforestry had existed for years, it is only recently that farmers began adopting it as a structured system. Instead of scattered planting, they are now designing layered farms, combining tall trees, fruit-bearing species, cocoa, and other crops into a balanced ecosystem.
“The goal is to create harmony between different layers of plants,” shared Hassani, the Livestock Integration and Organic Practice Manager of the Mitra Agribisnis Mandara. “This system not only protects cocoa but also increases income and resilience.”
Livestock integration and organic practices are also being introduced, strengthening soil health and diversifying livelihoods.
These changes are already shaping the future of cocoa in Polewali Mandar. Farmers are producing fermented cocoa beans with distinct flavors influenced by surrounding trees, opening opportunities for specialty and artisan markets. More importantly, they are rebuilding their farms into resilient, diversified systems.
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