Journal AC EH COCOA CONFERENCE Nov rd Aceh Cocoa Conf erence November Text & Graphic by Public Relations Team

Transcription

1 Journal 3rd Aceh Cocoa Conf erence November 2013 AC EH COCOA CONFERENCE Nov 2013 Text & Graphic by Public Relations Team

2 Location: PLTD Apung, Banda Aceh 1

3 BANDA ACEH Resuming the success of its two previous events, the 3rd Aceh Cocoa Conference (ACC) hosted by Aceh Cocoa Forum in collaboration with staffs from BAPPEDA Aceh and Swisscontact SCPP was deployed from 19 to 20 November 2013 at the Hermes Palace Hotel located in the capital city of Aceh Province, Banda Aceh. Bringing out the theme of Strengthening the Upstream Sector of Cocoa as a Competitive Industrialization Base, this two-days event was packed with more than 150 participants came from a variety of government institutions and agencies as well as private sectors and smallholder cocoa farmers involved in the cocoa sector in Aceh. Not willing to miss this significant event intended to boost the Aceh cocoa the Public Relations Unit took participates at this yearly event as well to cover the occasion. As the team arrived a day before the event, after finishing the preparation for the event, PR team had a chance to explore some corners of Banda Aceh, the largest city in Aceh that is renown as the porch of Mecca. Being there for the first time made the team more excited about the city. Many are sayings that Banda Aceh has beautiful white-sand beaches, many newly built mosques and many new historical building emerged after the tsunami disaster in Aceh in December Out of curiosity, team eventually did a quick round trip to visit some sites. 2

4 clockwise: Manfred Borer representing Swisscontact SCPP, natural beauty of Acehnese girls in Baju Laka (Aceh traditional outfit), Acehnese traditional dance performance Day 1 19 November 2013 Tue, 8 PM WIB Post-Registration and Joint Dinner agenda. A local dancer group featured a traditional dance called Peumulia Jamee welcoming all the conference guests to the 3rd Aceh Cocoa Conference. On behalf of Aceh Cocoa Forum as the host, Drs. Hasanuddin Darjo, MM in his foreword expressing his gratitude to all the guests for their presence and supports to Aceh cocoa. Afterwards, representing Swisscontact - SCPP as one of standing partners of the event, Program Director of SCPP, Manfred Borer held a presentation about the Program and its thus far achievement within five targeted areas in Aceh including districts of Pidie Jaya, Bireuen, Aceh Barat Daya, Aceh Tenggara and Aceh Tamiang. also took place. The idea was to bridge communication between cocoa stakeholders in Aceh. A key question raised by a beneficiary of the Program was related to the current unpleasant state of sales chain in Aceh wherein there is an urgent necessity of the presence of new cocoa beans buyer in Aceh. Responding this issue, Manfred Borer shared, at present, we are encouraging buyer companies to expand their business into Aceh area because Aceh has a great cocoa potential. At last, a representative of Aceh Governor in his remarks announced the official opening of this 3rd Aceh Cocoa Conference event in Banda Aceh. As a closure, another Acehnese traditional dancing was energetically performed. On that occasion, a short Q&A session between SCPP Program Director and the participants 3

5 clockwise: panel session discussed about government supports and policies to the development of cocoa sector, Hasanuddin Darjo (the Head of Aceh Cocoa Forum) and Nusa Eka (Director of Export of Agriculture and Forestry Products), SCPP booth Day 2 20 November 2013 Wed, 9 AM WIB Today s event was filled in with a series of panel presentations and discussions by event participants derived from diverse institutions and agencies as well as private sectors which concern with the improvement of Aceh cocoa. In total, 3 sessions took place on that day. Session 1 was commenced with a foreword from Director of Export of Agriculture and Forestry Products, Nusa Eka, explaining about the cocoa trade policy in facing global competition which has effect also to the cocoa sector. Thereafter, the General Director of Estate Crops Ir. H. Azwar, AB, held a presentation on government s support on controlling pests and diseases to enhance the cocoa productivity in Aceh. In regards to this matter, thank you for non-profit organizations such as Swisscontact through its Sustainable Cocoa Production Program (SCPP) in which during the SCPP Cocoa farmer Field School knowledge on cultivating cocoa with good farm management is delivered, he emphasized. Followed by a presentation from the Head of Aceh Cocoa Forum, Drs. Hasanuddin Darjo, MM, shared about the role of Aceh Cocoa Forum towards the sustainability of Aceh cocoa. Closing the session 1 out of 3 sessions on that day, the representative from the House of Representatives of Aceh, DR. Hj. Mariati, M.Si, expressed the support from the House of Representatives of Aceh about the presence and contribution of Aceh Cocoa Forum (ACF) in advancing local cocoa. Afterwards, a short discussion moderated by DR. Indra, MP between the speakers and the audiences took place before a-15mins break. During the break some participants visited some booths in the hallway in front of the venue which presented by Swisscontact-SCPP, Aceh Cocoa Forum and ICCRI. 4

6 Clockwise: the session 2 panel discussion commenting on organizations' supports to Aceh cocoa, Darrel J Kitchener from USAID IFACS Session 2 after a short break, representing the BAPPEDA Aceh, one of standing partners of the Aceh Cocoa Conference 2013, DR. Khairul Basri described the Aceh government policy on budgeting in the estate sector. In particular to improving the Aceh cocoa sector, interventions of revitalization the neglected lands in Aceh becomes one of the focuses, he exposed. Afterwards, from the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI), DR. Misnawi held a presentation on the current state of national cocoa. He was informing among others about the presence of new investors from Malaysia, Holland and the USA in the cocoa industry in several provinces in Indonesia, but unluckily there is none for Aceh yet. As the last speaker for the 2nd session 2, on behalf of IFACS-USAID, Darrel J Kitchener, gave an overview about their project with Coco Best to improve the capacity of cocoa farmers with trainings and forging the Community Conservation & Livelihood Agreement (CCLA) with the farmers. Similar to session 1, a panel discussion also took place and this time moderated by Moderator, DR. Agussabti, M.Si. After an interactive discussion between panelist and the audiences, all participants had another quick break to enjoy tasty cocoa drinks provided special by BT Cocoa, who was there to see the potential of Aceh cocoa as their plan for business expansion in Aceh. 5

7 Clockwise: panelist in the discussion session addressing question on how to tackle challenges of the buyer absence in Aceh, Teuku Zulkarnain SE, MM annauncing the Recommendations of Aceh Cocoa Conference 2013 Session 3 was opened by moderator DR. Ir. Yusya Abubakar, M.Sc. In this session, representing private sector from Barry Callebout, Mohd Bahktiar Bahrim in his presentation explaining that securing the long term supply chain of cocoa beans and improving the wellbeing of the smallholder cocoa farmers are parts of their company strategies. A representative from Cocoa Sustainability Partnership (CSP) Dakhri Sanusi emphasizing the urgency of establishing a roadmap for Indonesian cocoa sector by among others creating a task force comprising cocoa stakeholders from ICCRI, General Director of Estate Crops, Indonesian Cocoa Association, Swisscontact, IDH, MARS, as well as Rainforest Alliance. As the last speaker of the event, a key farmer and a successful cocoa farmer from Sustainable Cocoa Production Program (SCPP), Astuty TS spoke in front of the audiences about the tricks in maintaining the cocoa garden successfully. She recommended that all the other farmers should apply techniques of PsPSP (Frequent Harvest, Pruning, Sanitation and proper Fertilizing) in their farms. Besides, rehabilitation technique of side-grafting is also extremely effective to re-increase the productivity of ageing cocoa trees, she added. Closing her presentation, she thanks Swisscontact for all the lessons learned she gained during the SCPP field school that has changed her life. Like the other two sessions, the show is continued with a Q&A session between speakers and the audiences. 6

8 The steering committee of Aceh Cocoa Conference 2013 consists of staffs from Swisscontact -SCPP and Aceh Cocoa Forum posing together after the completion of the event Prior to the completion of this two-day event, the drafting team led by Teuku Zulkarnaen, SE, MM, announced the Recommendation of Aceh Cocoa Conference 2013 that resulted from the presentations and discussions during the event. They among others are the necessity of increasing the capacity of farmers and extension officers, provisions of updated and completed database about the development of Aceh cocoa and challenges given and to secure the synergy between the stakeholders, operational supports from the government and businesses for Aceh Cocoa Forum are required to the development of Aceh cocoa. As the last recommendation, supports and contributions from all cocoa stakeholders are highly necessary to convene the 4th Aceh Cocoa Conference 2014, he concluded. 7

9 Young and energetic dancers performing the famous "Saman" dance as the event closure At last, the Aceh Cocoa Conference 2013 in Banda Aceh was ended with the afterword from the representative of Aceh Government by saying Jak ban mandum ta peumaju kakao Aceh which basically means let s get together and advance Aceh cocoa. See you again at the 4th Aceh Cocoa Conference in 2014! Jak ban mandum ta peumaju kakao Aceh 8

10 Journal 3rd Aceh Cocoa Conf erence November 2013 ACE H COCOA CONFERENCE Nov 2013 Text & Graphic by Public Relations Team Text & Graphic by Public Relations Team