Judul: The Role of Farmer Cooperatives in Cocoa Development in North Luwu Regency (Case Study of Masagena Farmer Cooperative, Pongo Village, Masamba Subdistrict, North Luwu District)
Abstrak: Belum banyak petani yang mengolah biji kakao menjadi biji kakao fermentasi. Koperasi Tani Masagena aktif melakukan kegiatan untuk mengembangkan kompetensi petani bekerjasama dengan lembaga swadaya masyarakat serta memasok biji kakao fermentasi untuk industri lokal di Kabupaten Luwu Utara. Penelitian ini bertujuan 1) mengidentifikasi peranan Koperasi Tani Masagena dalam pengembangan biji kakao, 2) menganalisis nilai tambah biji kakao fermentasi, dan 3) merumuskan strategi pengembangan dalam meningkatkan peran Koperasi Tani Masagena, menggunakan analisis kualitatif deskriptif, nilai tambah Hayami, dan matriks Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT). Koperasi menunjukkan peran dalam jual beli biji kakao baik secara langsung maupun bekerjasama dengan mitra, standardisasi biji kakao sesuai SNI, akses informasi harga serta akses input produksi melalui Masagena Mart. Koperasi berperan dalam produksi dan pemasaran biji kakao fermentasi, menyelenggarakan pelatihan dan penyuluhan, mengembangkan kebun percontohan, serta mendistribusikan pupuk subsidi secara adil. Nilai tambah yang dihasilkan koperasi dari produksi biji kakao fermentasi sebesar Rp6.192,- per kg. Strategi hold and maintain adalah strategi yang paling tepat untuk dikembangkan koperasi. Alternatif strategi seperti penetrasi pasar dan pengembangan produk perlu dilakukan dengan meningkatkan kualitas tanah petani kakao anggota, menggalakkan praktik pertanian yang resilien, pemasaran kolektif untuk tanaman alternatif, serta pengembangan wilayah kerja alternatif bekerjasama dengan petani kakao di dataran tinggi Kabupaten Luwu Utara., Not many farmers have processed cocoa beans into fermented cocoa beans. Masagena Farmer Cooperative actively conducts activities to develop farmer’s competencies in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and supplies fermented cocoa beans to local industries in North Luwu Regency. This study aims to 1) identify the role of Masagena Farmer Cooperative in cocoa bean development, 2) analyze the value-added of fermented cocoa beans, and 3) formulate development strategies in improving the role of Masagena Farmer Cooperative, using descriptive qualitative analysis, Hayami value-added, and Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) matrix. The cooperative shows a role in buying and selling cocoa beans both directly and in collaboration with partners, standardization of cocoa beans according to SNI, access to price information and access to production inputs through Masagena Mart. The cooperative plays a role in the production and marketing of fermented cocoa beans, organizes training and extension services, develops demonstration plots, and distributes subsidized fertilizers fairly. The added value generated by the cooperative from the production of fermented cocoa beans is Rp6,192 per kg. The hold and maintain strategy is the most appropriate strategy for the cooperative to develop. Alternative strategies such as market penetration and product development need to be carried out by improving the quality of member cocoa farmer’s land, promoting resilient agricultural practices, collective marketing for alternative crops, and developing alternative working areas in collaboration with cocoa farmers in the highlands of North Luwu Regency.
Keyword: scoring, rating, quality control, internal external matrix, surplus