Cocoa Gold: Nukukaisi Farmers Reap the Sweet Rewards of Agribusiness

In the remote village of Nukukaisi, West Bauro, Makira/Ulawa Province, a quiet economic revolution is taking root, driven by the humble cocoa bean and a powerful community spirit.

The Vaimatesa Savings and Producer Group, a collective of 32 farming households, is transforming its cocoa farms into a thriving agribusiness, showcasing a successful model for rural development in the Solomon Islands.

Their journey is a testament to the power of communal investment and the practical support provided by the Solomon Islands Agriculture and Rural Transformation (SIART) Project.

A Recipe for Success: The SIART Partnership

The Vaimatesa Group is one of nineteen Agribusiness Organisations (ABPOs) in the province benefiting from a grant agreement with SIART, a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) and the World Bank.

This support has been the catalyst for the group's success.

With working capital provided by the SIART grant, the group operates a streamlined bean-to-market process.

They can purchase wet beans directly from their members and surrounding community farmers.

These beans are then fermented and dried in a processing shed also funded under the project before being shipped monthly to Honiara.

Turning Beans into Financial Benefits

The financial impact of this operation is significant. During the high crop season, the Vaimatesa Group can produce between 25 to 30 bags of dry cocoa per shipment, earning them an impressive SBD100,000 to SBD120,000.

Group Chairman, Mr. Joseph Rangisiria, shared the details of their operation and the shrewd decision to reinvest their profits.

"We spend around SBD70,000 on our expenses which includes purchase of wet beans from our members and their labour cost and also the hiring of vehicles to purchase beans from farmers in nearby communities," Mr. Rangisiria explained.

"As a community of household farmers, this is a good profit for us which we invest back into the Group to continue with the purchase of wet beans and continue to provide the service to our members and the people of our communities."

The core objective of the Vaimatesa Savings and Producer Group is to directly benefit its members, including women and children.

"Our members are really benefitting from our group as they earn an income when we purchase their beans, we pay labour costs to our members and at the end of the year members receive their shares from the group which enables them to meet financial commitments like school fees for their children in the coming year," he added.

Economic Context: The Cocoa Market Surge

The Nukukaisi farmers are capitalising on a recent surge in the cocoa market. While global prices for cocoa have been experiencing high volatility, the local market for dried cocoa beans in the Solomon Islands has seen significant returns.

According to recent reports, the retail price range for dried cocoa beans in Solomon Islands Dollars in Honiara and Malango is between SBD 53.50 and SBD 78.19 per kilogram.

Other reports indicate that the domestic price for quality dried cocoa beans sits around SBD 50-SBD 60 per kg, with some international buyers offering even higher prices for premium, high-quality beans.

In the first three quarters of 2025 alone, the Solomon Islands exported over 6,000 metric tonnes of dried cocoa beans, generating over SBD 334 million in export value.

This impressive performance underscores the massive potential for groups like Vaimatesa who have improved their processing and market access through the SIART Project.

Stability in a Volatile Market

The group’s reinvestment strategy offers a crucial buffer against market volatility. While it is common for buyers to cease purchasing during the low crop season, the Vaimatesa Savings Club ensures business continuity.

"It is common during low crop for buyers to stop purchasing beans from farmers. However, for us with this savings group and the support capital provided by SIART we can continue business during low crop, and this is providing a good service for our local farmers," said Mr. Rangisiria.

This stability encourages farmers with all levels of cocoa holdings—from those aiming for 500 trees to those with fewer than a hundred—to remain active participants in the value chain.

The group is actively working with SIART to expand their focus and support farmers in developing their farms further.

A Practical and Impactful Model

The Chairman is a staunch advocate for the SIART module, acknowledging its practical and group-based implementation as the key to success.

"This is because communities implement their respective projects as part of a group to ensure they meet expectations which I believe is having a big impact in our communities," he said.

"For our group alone here in Nukukaisi, I have seen the growth in terms of our farms, capital and the assets for our group. I can confidently say that the growth has been 80% compared to when we did not receive support from the SIART Project."

The success in Nukukaisi is part of a broader SIART investment, which has poured a total of SBD6.15 million into the 19 ABPOs in Makira/Ulawa Province.

The grants are aimed at increasing the production capacity of smallholder farmers and improving the quality of, and access to, extension services.

The farmers of Nukukaisi are not just selling cocoa; they are building a resilient, financially empowered community, one perfectly fermented and dried bean at a time.