Celebrating 40 years of ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â in Southeast Asia: evolution of the coffee and cocoa sectors, with taste, the environment and small farmers in the spotlight

14/11/2024
The Southeast Asia Regional Office and the Institut français d'Indonésie celebrated ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â's 40th anniversary on 8 October in Jakarta. The programme included a half-day conference-debate on establishing and developing the coffee and cocoa sectors in Indonesia, a round table on food recycling, coffee and chocolate tastings, and a large-format photo exhibition. The celebration was held as part of Food Month, organized by the Institut français d'Indonésie.
Baldwin Jehanot, Jika chocolat. © IFI Jakarta
Baldwin Jehanot, Jika chocolat. © IFI Jakarta

Baldwin Jehanot, Jika chocolat. © IFI Jakarta

To mark its 40th anniversary, ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â highlighted the work carried out by Indonesia to develop two export sectors that have become pillars of the country's peasant economy in the space of a century: coffee and cocoa. Scientific experts, government authorities and donors discussed the theme: ‘40 years of ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â in Indonesia: from forest to coffee and cocoa, a story of shared taste’. The debate was supported by two concrete developments in these sectors supported by ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â:

  • Evolution 1: Coop Community Indonesia - a success story of the coffee Geographical Indication’, by the president of the Indonesian coffee cooperative community (Reza Fabianus from Bali).

Reza Fabianus, coffee Bali. © IFI Jakarta

  • Evolution 2: ‘Cacao bean to bar in Indonesia: chocolate from Indonesian beans to Indonesian consumers, with French “savoir-faire”’, by Baldwin Jehanot, Jika Chocolate.

These presentations were followed by a debate with the audience. A tasting of Kintamani coffees (GI initiated by ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â) and JIKA Indonesian chocolates (so-called ‘single origin’ chocolates) then brought together the players in the sector, representatives of the Indonesian Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, and members of the public.

At the same time, ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â and the Institut français d'Indonésie have installed a photo exhibition celebrating ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â's 40th anniversary on the outside walls of the Embassy: Preserving and feeding the planet: the Living Large format. 
The exhibition runs from 8 October to 28 November on the walls of the French Embassy on avenue Thamrin, one of Jakarta's busiest and most prestigious avenues. Literally, thousands of Indonesians and passers-by of all nationalities in this part of Jakarta's business district will have been able to catch a glimpse of ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â's work. 

Posters on the wall of the French Embassy in Jakarta © IFI Jakarta

Posters on the wall of the French Embassy in Jakarta © IFI Jakarta