JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Cargill’s Cocoa and Chocolate business, international development agency Swisscontact and the Soppeng Regency Government have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to implement the Cargill Cocoa Promise in the Soppeng Regency of South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia.

The Cargill Cocoa Promise is the company’s global commitment to the development of a sustainable cocoa supply chain and to making a difference in three key areas – improving the lives of cocoa farmers, supporting cocoa farming communities, and investing in the future of cocoa farming.

As part of the Cargill’s $100 million investment in Indonesia, this reinforces the company’s commitment to develop and grow Indonesia’s cocoa industry and strengthen the company’s sustainability activities.

With the signing of the MoU, Cargill has extended its existing Cocoa Promise into Soppeng. This is an important step in developing sustainable cocoa production and supporting farmers in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, to create a viable future with improved cocoa yields and more sustainable farm standards.

Swisscontact is supporting the field implementation of the program to promote local development of farmers and to stimulate cooperation. Since Indonesia is the world’s third largest cocoa producer, the program strengthens Cargill’s intention to scale up cocoa operations and increase value to the cocoa beans produced in Indonesia to help meet increasing demand for cocoa across Asia.