IPB University Initiates Collaboration with 16 Coffee and Cocoa Producing Countries

Indonesia once again demonstrates its leadership in sustainable agriculture by hosting the Capacity Building for Like-Minded Countries: Sustainable Coffee and Cacao 2025 event.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in collaboration with IPB University and supported by Indonesian AID or the International Development Cooperation Fund (LDKPI).

The forum brought together 36 participants from 16 like-minded countries (LMCs) to strengthen cooperation and share best practices in the sustainable management of coffee and cocoa commodities. 

The event was divided into two main phases: a field visit in Lampung and learning sessions in Bogor. The participants came from diverse backgrounds: farmers, policymakers, business actors, diplomats, and academics. 

They represented countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, and Thailand.

Dr Alim Setiawan Slamet, Vice Rector of IPB University for Resource and Infrastructure Resilience, emphasized the importance of building the resilience of the agricultural sector through inter-country collaboration. 

“We believe that the future of global agriculture will be greatly determined by the strength of transnational cooperation in building a fair and sustainable food system,” he said.

As the event’s executive chair, Prof Damayanti Buchori, Chairperson of the Center for Transdisciplinary and Sustainability Sciences (CTSS) at the International Research Institute for Environment and Climate Change (LRI LPI) of IPB University, explained that the event was designed systematically and transdisciplinarily.

“We invited participants to directly observe agroforestry practices, intercropping, and regenerative agriculture implemented by small-scale farmers in Lampung. This demonstrates that deforestation-free practices can emerge from local approaches,” she said.

In addition to visiting community gardens, participants also visited the Bogor Botanical Gardens and the Teaching Factory Coffee at IPB University’s Vocational School to gain hands-on understanding of coffee processing. (*/Rz) (IAAS/LAN)