This year Equiori, in partnership with the Pakka Foundation, managed to certify 89 Colombian farmers with organic seal. This is no small achievement for a farmer, it takes at least 3 years to make the transition from conventional farming. Many of them have decided to opt for the transition to organic agriculture as they are directly affected by rising temperatures and climate change. With this, they want to operate in a sustainable way to protect and regenerate their land.
sustainably to protect and regenerate their land and thus leave a legacy for future generations.
To implement this program, we funded and empowered local youth in organic farming best practices, providing them with the training and tools to implement the program with farmers in their community associations. These interventions helped generate higher incomes for farmers through increased productivity and improved quality of their cocoa.
But the work does not stop here; we continue to partner with these farmers and new associations. In the coming months we will continue to expand our program to continue certifying and providing organic technical assistance to new farmers. We will also implement eco-intensification and reforestation programs and invest in infrastructure projects.
We have been fortunate to receive support and funding from IDH – Cocoa Origins, Developpp.de – Germany and SwissPlatform – SECO to continue to expand the reach and impact of our programs.
Countries are demanding improvements and traceability in cocoa value chains for the betterment of the chocolate industry. This positively impacts small producers, and with the support we receive we can help them meet market demands while generating a sustainable and equitable impact in Colombia’s rural regions.
