Creating economic opportunities in multiple regions in Indonesia, U.S. Co-ops is partnering with McCormick Spices and Cooperative Business International (CBI) on the new $13 million five-year USDA | Indonesia Spice Trade Alliance (ISTA) project.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the project has the following objectives: 1) increase productivity and efficiency in three Indonesian spice value chains (black pepper, cinnamon and vanilla) by strengthening the capacities of farmers, cooperatives and other private entities; and 2) improve and expand the trade of black pepper, cinnamon and vanilla products.
The project will achieve the second objective by improving crop quality to meet international standards; strengthening cooperatives; strengthening public-private partnerships; connecting farmers and cooperatives with Indonesian and U.S. international spice traders; improving environmental resiliency, Rainforest Alliance (RA) certification and crop diversity; and linking recent university graduates to careers in extension services.
The project aims to reach 14,000 farmers through 560 farmer groups with a focus on vanilla, black pepper and cinnamon commodities. This public-private partnership works through international regulations and standards to expand global trade in spices to meet growing demands worldwide, while improving spice farmers’ climate resilience. USDA | ISTA will support six farmer cooperatives/associations to improve their procurement, record keeping and management functions.
Since 1977, U.S. Co-ops has consistently worked in Indonesia to provide income-generating activities and new employment for people at the grassroots level, including setting up several businesses.U.S. Co-ops is currently active in Indonesia with the Feed the Future Sustainable Cooperative Agribusiness Alliance (SCAA).