Prospek Dan Strategi Pengembangan Perkebunan Kakao Berkelanjutan Di Sumatera Barat

SProspect and Development Strategy of Sustainable Cocoa Plantation in West SumateraIn recent years, Indonesian cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) plantation faces serious problems related to pests and diseases. Cocoa production in some central cocoa plantations decreased sharply. Therefore, Indonesian government is attempting to eliminate impact of reduction of plant production by enhancing cocoa production in some new potential planting areas such as West Sumatera through revitalization program. However, this program does not run smoothly due to various constraints i.e. limited availability of planting materials, limited staff and supervisors as well as support from the bank. In order to overcome these problems, prospect and strategy studies to develop cocoa plantations in West Sumatera using prospective analysis offer some prospective alternative solutions. The study shows that cocoa plantation is quite important for the regional economy of West Sumatera and prospective to be developed for the future economic. The strategic factors influencing the development and sustainability of cocoa plantations in West Sumatera are the availability of technology, supervisors, trainers, policy support, availability of cocoa plantation, productivity, skill of farmers and institutional of farmer net work. These eight factors are generally positioned in moderate condition and lead to optimistic condition since launching revitalization of cocoa plantation development in West Sumatera. Quantity and quality of funding and supervisors is needed. Prospects and development strategies of cocoa will be useful to assess the efficiency of agribusiness activities in terms of increasing of cocoa production and sustainability of the environment resulting sustainable cocoa development. Cocoa plantations in West Sumatera have important roles and absorbed 60,000 workers/farmers with the average income of about USD 1.198/year. To ensure the sustainable development of cocoa plantations support and consistency of government policy as well as bank's commitment are needed, especially to support revitalization plantation program