Creating Farmer Advice Networks
Access to better agricultural inputs and
advice will help cocoa growers improve and
maintain the health of their farms. Mars,
together with our partners, has supported
cocoa famers in Indonesia since 2012
through our Cocoa Development Center
(CDC) and Mars Cocoa Academy in Luwu
Raya, South Sulawesi, where cocoa farmers
can study modern farming techniques and
become "Cocoa Doctors", helping farmers to
dramatically increase their cocoa production.
From 2018 to 2022, the Rural Empowerment
and Agricultural Development Scaling-up
Initiative, the Youth Entrepreneurship and
Employment Support Services programs
funded by the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mars and
the Ministry of Agriculture Human Resources
Directorate trained 173 "Cocoa Doctors".
Since the program's timeframe has now been
extended until 2025, we have plans to train
an additional 190 "Cocoa Doctors" across the
entire archipelago.
Since its inception in 2012 the Mars Cocoa
Academy has trained more than 4,300
"Cocoa Doctors". These specialists, who run
their own cocoa businesses, provide advice
and coaching to fellow farmers.
Once established - one
"Cocoa Doctor" can
effectively reach
150-200 farmers each.
Nigeria Resilient Cocoa Farmers Programme
To gain a deeper understanding of the sustainability challenges faced by Nigerian farmers, Mars and
Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) funded the ECOM-run Nigeria Resilient Cocoa Farmers Programme,
The inaugural phase of the program involves the assessment of 15 cocoa-producing communities on the
topics of living income, child labor, and deforestation risks. These communities are key cocoa producers for
ECOM's Tulip Cocoa plant, and the results obtained will serve as valuable insights for identifying areas of
improvement in the upcoming phase of the project.
In 2022, the program collaborated with Solidaridad West Africa to conduct a study focused on the
involvement of children in cocoa farming. The study specifically scrutinized the time spent by children
engaged in farm activities, the types of tasks they performed, and the impact of cocoa farming on
their well-being. Recommendations derived from these findings will be integrated by the Tulip team as
appropriate, and they encompass the following measures:
Training initiatives aimed at distinguishing
between lawful child work and unlawful child
labor more effectively.
Community engagement strategies to facilitate
safer knowledge transfer to children, minimizing
potential hazards.
Advocating for cooperative labor systems
and services.
Establishment of rural service centers.
Implementing a comprehensive child labor
monitoring and remediation system, actively
involving schools and local communities.
My name is Suwardi, and I am a cocoa
farmer and together with my wife
we are operating a nursery business.
Through my role as a "Cocoa Doctor",
I am able to share and show to the
younger generations that being a
farmer does not only mean to be
working on the field all day, but they
can also run their own business while
also helping other farmers around
them to grow together.
Suwardi
"Cocoa Doctor" and Agripreneur
at East Luwu, Indonesia
MARS | COCOA FOR GENERATIONS | 2022 ANNUAL REPORT | PAGE 17
DELIVERING ON OUR COCOA FOR GENERATIONS STRATEGY | IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS