Visit of two CIRAD researchers to partners of the INDOKAKAO in Poso (Central Sulawesi) and Jember (East Java)

01/07/2026

Renaud Boulanger (QualiSud) and Olivier Sounigo (Agap) visited two INDOKAKAO project sites, accompanied by Baldwin Jehanno, a local expert in cocoa and chocolate involved in the project. The visit led to fruitful discussions with researchers from ICCRI (Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute) and the University of Jember. In addition, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the sensorial quality and bean and pod traits of several commercial cocoa clones in two different environments.

Cocoa bean counting and weighing to assess three commercial cocoa clones for these traits in two different environments. © Baldwin Jehanno
Cocoa bean counting and weighing to assess three commercial cocoa clones for these traits in two different environments. © Baldwin Jehanno

Renaud Boulanger (QualiSud) and Olivier Sounigo (Agap) visited two INDOKAKAO project sites in Indonesia: Poso (Central Sulawesi) and Jember (East Java), accompanied by Baldwin Jehanno, a local expert in cocoa and chocolate involved in the project. The visit opened at ICCRI (Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute) with exchanges between the CIRAD and ICCRI research teams.

Visiting an experimental cocoa plot at ICCRI while exchanging with two cocoa breeders from this institute. © Baldwin Jehanno — Visiting an experimental cocoa plot at ICCRI while exchanging with two cocoa breeders from this institute.

Renaud Boulanger and Olivier Sounigo presented the cocoa-related activities of the QualiSud and Agap research teams, giving ICCRI researchers an overview of CIRAD’s current work on cocoa quality and breeding.

Fermenting fresh cocoa beans for future sensorial assessment of cocoa and chocolate obtained from three commercial cocoa clones in two different environments. © Baldwin Jehanno — Fermenting fresh cocoa beans for future sensorial assessment of cocoa and chocolate obtained from three commercial cocoa clones in two different environments.

These exchanges opened up several potential areas for future collaboration, particularly on cocoa post-harvest techniques and cocoa breeding. As part of the visit, an experiment was also set up at ICCRI to compare the sensorial quality and the bean and pod traits of several commercial cocoa clones grown in two different environments, including bean counting, weighing, and fermentation trials.

Meeting with ICCRI (Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute) and the University of Jember. © Baldwin Jehanno

The next day, discussions with researchers from the University of Jember led to an agreement to jointly conduct experiments on cocoa post-harvest techniques, involving CIRAD, ICCRI, and the University of Jember.