By: Okky David Feliantiar
In parts of Java where some youth have been drawn into militancy, many young people are working to help local farmers develop their potential in one of Indonesia’s major agricultural
By: Leungchopan at Shutterstock
commodities: cocoa. Many Indonesians may not know that after Ivory Coast and Ghana, their country is the third largest cocoa exporter in the world. What’s more, 92.7% of Indonesia’s cocoa plantations are owned by members of local communities, with a farmer typically owning one hectare, according to the Indonesian Department of Agriculture.
In Central and East Java, those small farmers are finding partners in the Youth Cocoa Collector Association (Perkumpulan Pemuda Pengumpul Kakao/PPPK).
A fair price
Slamet Syah, 60, a cocoa farmer with a plantation of approximately two hectares in Salatiga, says PPPK always comes during harvest season. “They give me a fair price. In December 2012, they bought cocoa seed for Rp 23,000 ($2.40)/kg,” he told Khabar Southeast Asia.
Sugiarto, 28, a member of PPPK, said the association buys from local farmers in Salatiga, Yogyakarta, Malang, and Madiun.
“After collection, we make local food products such as chocolate bars and chocolate powder, and we sell it in various local markets,” he said. “We use the money to help our youth in Salatiga, to create more jobs, and help our farmers. Now we have nearly 400 youth members in Salatiga, 290 in Madiun, 35 in Malang, and 25 in Yogyakarta. We are all active producing.”
Continue reading: http://khabarsoutheastasia.com/en_GB/articles/apwi/articles/features/2013/02/11/feature-07
