Cocoa, Forests & Livelihoods

Local need

Cocoa farms in Berau border forest and compete with oil-palm and mining expansion. Farming families, including Dayak communities, need more productive cocoa without clearing forest, plus food and extra income from the same plots. Fire risk and loss of wildlife habitat shape how the work is planned.

Activities

• Assessment of farms, households and women's roles in cocoa.
• Training on pruning, farm sanitation, rehabilitating old trees and fermentation.
• Training of local trainers and individual on-farm coaching.
• Agroforestry demonstration plots combining cocoa with shade, fruit and food crops.
• Group agreements on fire prevention and protecting forest around farms.

Twelve-month plan

1. Months 1–2

   Assessment, selecting villages and trainers, and setting up demonstration plots.

2. Months 3–8

   Training of trainers, seasonal field school and individual coaching.

3. Months 9–12

   Post-harvest practice, review of uptake and a follow-on plan with each group.

What we track

• Active local trainers and the quality of their support
• Pruning, sanitation and fermentation practices applied
• Condition of demonstration plots and shade trees
• Women's participation and forest-protection agreements

These are the things assessed during the programme, not verified results. Results are reported after delivery and checks.

Ways to collaborate

• Cocoa and chocolate businesses prioritising supply from agroforestry farms.
• Local government, to align with extension and forest-protection programmes.
• Donors for training, demonstration plots and fire prevention.