Cacao

Fundación Bancolombia - Fruandes
Cacao Project

• Cacao is grown to a lesser extent and all supply is currently bought by two major companies who keep prices and salaries low. Fruandes' goal is to strengthen select small-scale farmer associations, help them achieve organic certification, and pay them fair wages, thereby creating a sustainable ecosystem for cocoa cultivation and trade in the region.

• We added a social worker and two agricultural engineers to our core team specifically to support this project. Working directly in the region, they are aiding community development, the understanding of organic agriculture, and post-harvest processes.

• Fruandes further provides organizational strengthening, technical assistance, process improvement, business enhancement, financial education, among other knowledge-based support to the associations and its members. Because of the remoteness of this region, the influence of conventional practices has been low and soils are relatively clean, which will make organic certification achievable in a short time frame.

• Cacao grows on the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree. It can be harvested year round, with varying levels of supply. October to January are typically high season months. The fruit is cut from the tree with a machete. The wet beans are then split from the pod and dried before they can be roasted and distributed. The cacao nibs require additional manual fractioning.