Project Profile: Advancing Sustainable Cocoa in Central Sulawesi

Cocoa farming in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, faces significant challenges due to climate change, environmental degradation, and unsustainable growing practices. In turn, smallholder farmers across the region have seen both their yields and incomes decline. Climate-smart agriculture is an effective strategy to tackle these issues—helping to preserve soil health and manage climate-related pests—but many farmers lack both the training in these practices as well as access to more sustainable inputs like organic fertilizers.

With increasing global demand for sustainably sourced cocoa and regulations like the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), it is vital to equip farmers with the tools needed to implement sustainable growing practices on the ground. That’s why this project aims to train smallholder cocoa farmers in Poso, Central Sulawesi, in climate smart agriculture—helping to boost the supply of high-quality, sustainable cocoa from the region, while improving farmer livelihoods long-term. The project will also focus on strengthening farmer organizations to improve resource management and market access.

Priority issues

• Forests and biodiversity
• Climate
• Rural livelihoods

Partner communities

• 1,000 smallholder cocoa farmers including women and youth in Poso sub-districts.
• Farmer groups and cooperatives to strengthen governance and market access.​

Project objectives

• Building climate resilience: To help cocoa farmers across Poso adapt to and prepare for the negative impacts of climate change, 1,000 smallholder farmers will be supported to adopt climate-smart growing practices through capacity building and farmer field training.
• Boosting yields: To help promote the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector in Poso, this project aims to help local farmers boost their yields in harmony with nature through the adoption of agroforestry models.
• Preparing for certification: Field trainings to help farmers meet the rigorous requirements of the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard and prepare for the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals

Collectively, these outcomes will contribute to several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), including:

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land
• SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals

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