FDBusiness.com

Mondelez International, the world’s largest chocolate company, has announced its $400 million Cocoa Life program is fully operational in Indonesia, the world’s third largest cocoa origin and the biggest cocoa origin in Asia. By the end of 2015, Cocoa Life will be operating in more than 100 Indonesian communities and will have trained 8,000 farmers in agricultural and business skills to help improve cocoa yields, protect the environment and boost farmer incomes. By 2022, the program plans to train 50,000 farmers and in turn benefit about 200,000 people in local communities, promoting women’s empowerment and education for children.

“Cocoa Life is taking root in Indonesia because it’s focused on farmers,” says Andi Sitti Asmayanti, Director of Cocoa Life for Southeast Asia. “Through Cocoa Life, we’re empowering farmers to create action plans with their communities and shape the future of cocoa.  Together with the Indonesian government, our suppliers and partners, we’re helping cocoa-farming families create the kind of communities they want to live in, and inspiring the next generation.”

Cocoa Life is working with farmers in two Indonesian regions – Sulawesi and Sumatra – and along with suppliers Cargill and Olam aims to strengthen the country’s position as a leading producer of high-quality, sustainable cocoa. And by partnering with the non-governmental organization Save the Children, Cocoa Life will help promote gender equality through leadership and business training for women in cocoa farming communities, as well as agricultural education for youth. Together, farming families will create Community Action Plans to achieve specific development outcomes, such as improving health and nutrition education.

“Save the Children knows when women and mothers do well, their children’s lives improve, too,” says Carolyn Miles, Save the Children President & CEO. “We believe our partnership with Cocoa Life will help parents in cocoa farming communities in Indonesia to have a sustainable income so they can provide for their children and give them the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Cocoa Life is already seeing results In Indonesia. Two years ago, a number of Indonesian farmers were abandoning cocoa for other cash crops as yields declined. Existing cocoa trees were aging, and there wasn’t sufficient infrastructure to support new plantings. Today, Cocoa Life’s partnership with the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI), Cargill and Olam has offered farmer inputs such as training, supplies and a new nursery so farmers have been able to continue growing cocoa and significantly boost their crop yields.