Partnerships and the Economic Transformation of Cocoa Farmers in Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi

Abstract

Agricultural development programs for cocoa in Indonesia often fail to create sustainable economic transformation despite intensive interventions. Previous studies tend to evaluate program effectiveness in aggregate without exploring why identical programs produce divergent outcomes at the farmer level. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of strategic partnerships among the private sector, farmer groups, and local governments in creating economic transformation for cocoa farmers, and to identify the inclusion and exclusion mechanisms that mediate program benefits. This qualitative case study was conducted in Mataiwoi Village, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, involving 32 informants through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and focus group discussions during 45 days of fieldwork (August–October 2025). Thematic analysis reveals an effective asymmetric tripartite partnership model, in which role differentiation based on comparative advantage, rather than power balance, is key to success. Participating farmers experienced multidimensional transformation: productivity tripled from 400 kg to 1,000–1,200 kg/ha/year, income quadrupled from Rp8–12 million to Rp35–45 million/year, and their mindset shifted from fatalism to economic agency. However, only 63 of 240 farmers accessed the program because pre-existing inequalities in assets and social capital functioned as mediating structures. This study concludes that the asymmetric tripartite partnership model transforms farmers who can access the program, but inclusivity remains a crucial challenge requiring affirmative mechanisms. These findings imply that future studies and agricultural partnership programs should move beyond aggregate success indicators and examine how inequalities in capital, networks, and institutional access shape inclusive rural economic transformation.