Strengthening Indonesia’s cocoa supply chain through farmer training and certification Cargill supported certified cocoa sourcing in Indonesia with approximately Rp38.8 billion in premium payments to over 7,800 farmers participating in…

Strengthening Indonesia’s cocoa supply chain through farmer training and certification

Cargill supported certified cocoa sourcing in Indonesia with approximately Rp38.8 billion in premium payments to over 7,800 farmers participating in the Rainforest Alliance certification program, marking continued development of its cocoa sourcing program in the country. The payments include around Rp35 billion to farmers in Central Sulawesi and Rp3.8 billion to farmers in East Nusa Tenggara. The premiums, provided in addition to income from cocoa bean sales, are linked to compliance with internationally recognised sustainability certification standards and form part of the company’s broader sourcing program, which supports farmers through training, certification, and traceability systems in an effort to help improve yields, maintain bean quality, and strengthen access to markets.

“Supporting farmers is essential to building a resilient and transparent cocoa supply chain,” said Brook Chang, Director, Sustainability, Food APAC, Cargill. “By investing in training, certification and premium payments linked to verified sustainability standards, we are helping farmers improve income and productivity while strengthening traceability and supply reliability for our customers and partners.”

In Central Sulawesi, the program supports over 5,600 farmers, including more than 600 women farmers. Between May 2023 and February 2026, approximately 16,000 metric tons of Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa beans were sourced from farmers in Parigi Moutong, Poso, and North Morowali Regencies. In East Nusa Tenggara, the program engages 2,200 farmers, sourcing approximately 2,000 metric tons of Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa beans between October 2022 and February 2026 from farmers in Ende, Sikka, East Manggarai, and East Flores Regencies. The certified cocoa beans are sourced into Cargill’s global cocoa supply chain, supporting a range of food and beverage customers.

The premium distribution was commemorated through Farmer Field Days, which serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, hands-on learning, and the recognition of high-performing farmers. In Central Sulawesi, the program is organised in Poso and attended by approximately 1,000 farmers. It is implemented in partnership with PT Rayner Anugrah Kemurahan (PT RAK), and led by Ferdy Wongkar, a cocoa trader who holds a Rainforest Alliance certificate and has been working with Cargill since 2018 to support cocoa farmers in meeting certification requirements. Through this partnership, farmers receive training in good agricultural practices (GAPs), ongoing coaching and technical assistance, and access to digital traceability tools. PT RAK also manages six demonstration farms and five nurseries producing up to 30,000 cocoa seedlings to support farm rehabilitation and replanting.

“Through the training and support we receive, we’ve learned how to better manage our farms, from using quality seedlings to applying improved farming techniques. This has helped us increase our yields and improve the quality of our cocoa. With continued guidance and clearer market requirements, farmers are more confident in maintaining their farms and strengthening their income over time,” said Ferdy Wongkar, a cocoa trader and Rainforest Alliance certificate holder.