Southeast Asia

Context and Needs

Southeast Asia accounts for approximately 19% of the world’s cocoa supply. The region includes well established cocoa producers such as Indonesia, the world’s third largest producer, and emerging producers such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

In Southeast Asia, the World Cocoa Foundation supports the sustainability of the cocoa sector in Indonesia and furthers the development of the sector in the Philippines and Vietnam. Areas of focus include:

• Training farmers to better manage pests and disease, diversify crops for cash and consumption, improve pruning and shade management, and practice sound environmental stewardship. Emphasis is placed on techniques to control the cocoa pod borer, a common pest in the region
• Working with farmers to establish and strengthen farmer organizations, helping them better understand market needs and opportunities, acquire improved management and marketing skills, and collectively sell their cocoa at a higher price
• Diversifying farm income and promoting environmental stewardship through the practice of agroforestry and intercropping
• Improving cocoa quality by educating farmers on proper post-harvest handling techniques, training farmer organizations in quality control and supporting the development of quality standards
• Furthering farmer access to quality planting material through the development of nurseries and budwood gardens

 

Country Coverage

Currently, WCF supports active programming in the following countries:

• Indonesia
• Vietnam
• The Philippines

 

World Cocoa Foundation Programs

1. Farmer Outreach

• AMARTA (Indonesia)
• SUCCESS Alliance
  • SUCCESS Alliance Philippines
  • SUCCESS Alliance Vietnam - Mekong Delta and Southern Vietnam
  • SUCCESS Alliance Vietnam - Central Highlands
• Cocoa Project in Vietnam
• Coconut and Cocoa Playamanan Farming Systems Project (CoCoPal) - Philippines
• Partnerships in Opportunities for Sustainability and Empowerment by Strengthening Stewardship (POSESS) - Philippines

 

2. Challenge Grants

• 2008/2009 Challenge Grants – Farm Level Category

 

3. Research Exchanges

• Cocoa Borlaug Fellows Program Southeast Asia
• Establishment and Maintenance of Field Trials to Test the Best Regional Crosses (INGENIC Asia Pacific Working Group)
• Project on Cocoa Productivity and Quality Improvement: A Participatory Approach (International Cocoa Organization/Common Fund      for Commodities/Bioversity International)
• Cocoa of Excellence: Promoting Diverse, High Quality Origins Project.

 

Information on programs was updated in May 2010.