This report assesses the effectiveness of the PRIMA project in improving cocoa quality and the innovative approach used in establishing a quality driven supply chain with direct benefits to South Sulawesi smallholders. Interviews and questionnaires with a range of industry participants informed the report. The core component of the report details PRIMA project activities and how effective they were.

The establishment of new and interactive models for knowledge transfer in the cocoa industry requires an understanding of current farmer engagement. This study focused on understanding the social context of farmer engagement in Sulawesi. Results are based on interviews with a range of stakeholders and cocoa industry associated organisations over a 12 day period. The information is a high level overview as was intended given the short time frame of the field work. The report summarises previous extension approaches and the outcomes of these programs (e.g.

The competitive advantage of Indonesian cocoa production has been threatened by poor and inconsistent quality. This report includes a desktop analysis to identify the key issues impacting on the cocoa value chain and details proposed interventions to benefit cocoa production, quality and smallholder income. Field visits were undertaken to identify the issues facing smallholders and potential collaborators for intervention.

This program focused on improving the quantity and quality of smallholder cocoa production in Sulawesi, West Papua, North Sumatra and Bali as well as strengthening global cocoa value chain partnerships. Monitoring and evaluation data was collected through the program as well as through independent research and evaluations. The program had six categories of activity: Farmer Field Schools (FFS), Farmer Organisation, Communications Initiative, Farming as a Business, Side-grafting and Bio-control.

This report covers cacao production, how cacao farmers acquire, utilise and transfer technical knowledge as well as providing an understanding of the global cacao value chain. Information was obtained through interviews with farmers (n=50) and additional value chain actors. The primary knowledge transfer pathways identified are through family, friends and neighbours.

This paper reports on the 'ACIAR cassava project in Indonesia', where a farmer participatory approach was used in an effort to increase the productivity of cassava-based cropping systems via adoption of higher yielding varieties and improved cultural practices. The report commences with a brief history of cassava research and development efforts in Indonesia, before providing quite an extensive methodology section outlining the farmer participatory research trials that were conducted.

This paper reviews cassava research in Indonesia prior to 2000 and presents the key achievements in farmer adoption of new technologies to increase cassava yields and income. The improved practices the authors examine include land preparation, erosion control, planting material, plant growth management through plant population and spacing, planting time, weed control, cropping systems and fertilization. The research highlights that cassava planting time is affected by cropping system, soil type and water availability.

This paper presents the experiences of using farmer participatory research to develop and transfer cassava production technologies to maintain soil productivity, reduce erosion and increase farmers' incomes. The research was conducted over a five year period in two districts of East Java: Blitar and Malang. A Rapid Rural Appraisal was initially used, in which farmers identified problems and proposed potential solutions.

This study explores the impact of new cassava processors in Sukadana, East Lampung district in Lampung province on the production and prices of cassava in the area. A survey of eighty cassava farmers was carried out to explore their relationships with processors, their production cost structures and their cultivation practices. The study found that harvesting age was a critical factor to determine the cassava yield and price in the study area.