By: Fahriy Dwi Winata

While the western end of Indonesia is proud of its coffee, the eastern end of Indonesia is equally proud of its premium cocoa beans. Cocoa farmers are still struggling to meet export needs and maintain their quality.

There are four organic cocoa farmer groups from Jayapura Regency, Papua, namely the Pato, Srukumani, Cipta Mandiri, and Nembu farmer groups. If previously the Srukumani farmer group was able to increase the harvest in two months by 150%, Ariklaus Lensru, one of the cocoa farmers in Klaisu Village who is a member of the Cipta Mandiri farmer group is optimistic that his yield will continue to increase every month. Ariklaus farms cocoa on his 1.5 hectares of land. This 57-year-old cocoa farmer has always experienced an increase in harvest every year, especially in 2017.

In previous years, it took him 6-7 months to produce 2-3 tons of dry cocoa beans, while in 2017, he produced 2-3 tons of dry cocoa beans in just three months. In 2018, he is also quite optimistic. "I have predicted that in 2018, we can reach up to 10-12 tons," said Ariklaus. This is reinforced by looking at the harvest in February 2018 alone, which reached 1.42 tons. The farmer's export target to meet the demand of Original Beans (a chocolate company in the Netherlands -Red) is 15 tons per year.

Ariklaus was also proud when the fermentation house system in his farmer group inspired the Jayapura Regency government to apply the system to several other farmer groups. For him, being a cocoa farmer is not only to fulfill his family's economic needs, but an act of worship in spreading kindness to others.

Ariklaus's "Dutch" cocoa is of the criollo variety (the best type of cocoa) and is cultivated organically using the agroforestry concept. The cacao trees grow amongst other trees that have another function of protecting the cacao trees from too much sunlight, which is not good for the growth of the cacao trees. This is how farmers are improving the function and benefits of forests for the community.

Since 2014 until now, WWF-Indonesia Papua Program still facilitates cocoa farmers who are members of several farmer groups in Jayapura Regency in the form of assistance. "In the period of 2014-2017, WWF-Indonesia Papua Program has conducted several programs, including education and training on the development of organic cocoa cultivation with the concept of agroforestry, organic cocoa certification process, and financial management training for cocoa farmers," explained Kornelis Kindem, Community and Outreach Officer WWF-Indonesia Papua Program.