Jembrana’s Sustainable Cocoa Gains Global Recognition
- 31 Jul 2026 23:52 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Jembrana’s fermented cocoa program has gained global recognition, including support from the European Union.
- Local cooperatives supply 15 chocolate brands worldwide, proving consistent quality opens global market access.
- EU praises Jembrana’s success in applying sustainability from farm to consumer, benefiting communities and environment.
RRI.CO.ID, Negara - Jembrana Regency’s commitment to developing sustainable fermented cocoa has attracted the attention of international partners, including the European Union.
This was evident during the ACT (Accelerating Consumer Transformation and Sustainability in Indonesia) Program media trip, themed “From Bean Source to Product: Exploring Sustainable Cocoa Practices,” held in Jembrana, Bali, on Thursday, July 30, 2026.
The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders in the cocoa sector, including representatives from the European Union, Rainforest Alliance, Cocoa Sustainability Partnership (CSP), Sustainable Coffee Platform of Indonesia (SCOPI), Rikolto Indonesia, the Kerta Semaya Samaniya (KSS) Cooperative, the Kalimajari Foundation, Pipiltin Cocoa, as well as journalists from national and local media outlets.
Jembrana Regent I Made Kembang Hartawan said the choice of Jembrana as the venue was recognition of the region’s efforts to build a cocoa industry that prioritizes both quality and environmental sustainability.
Fermented cocoa has been a flagship program since 2011, with beans from the KSS Cooperative entering international markets in 2015. Today, they supply 15 chocolate brands domestically and abroad, including a partnership with Pipiltin Cocoa since 2016.
“Jembrana fermented cocoa proves that consistently maintained quality can open access to global markets. This achievement is the result of the hard work of farmers, cooperatives, and all parties who uphold quality standards,” Hartawan said.
He acknowledged that the journey was not easy, with the biggest early challenge being to change farmers’ mindsets toward adopting fermentation and environmentally friendly practices such as agroforestry and intercropping.
To support sustainability, the Jembrana Regency Administration has implemented various programs, including distributing high‑quality seedlings and production inputs to farmer groups, strengthening cooperative capital from IDR 200 million (USD 12,346) in 2016 to IDR 1.5 billion (USD 92,593) in 2025, and issuing Regional Regulation No. 8/2020 mandating fermentation as a quality standard.
The administration has also intensified cocoa tree‑planting campaigns in schools and offices to preserve Jembrana’s cocoa‑farming culture. The regent further urged the media to share farmers’ stories of maintaining quality while practicing sustainability.
“Collaboration is the foundation of a sustainable cocoa ecosystem. We hope our synergy with the EU, Rainforest Alliance, CSP, SCOPI, Rikolto, Pipiltin Cocoa, and other partners will continue to strengthen Jembrana’s position as a producer of high‑quality cocoa,” he said.
European Union Program Officer Novita Sari praised Jembrana’s achievements, noting that sustainability practices have been successfully applied from farm to consumer. She emphasized that this approach not only benefits communities and the environment but also secures a stronger future for the cocoa industry. (Annaila Azzahra)
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