ACCESO: Strengthening F armer Organizations in the Andes
In 2007, the Andean Countries Cocoa Export Support Opportunity (ACCESO) Program launched an initiative to strengthen farmer organizations. Workshops were held in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru to further develop the capacity of new and established farmer organizations. The farmer leaders will reconvene in late 2007 to report on their progress and receive follow-up training.
Bolivia: Learning from 30 Years of Experience
Central de Cooperativas EL CEIBO, based in Sapecho, was founded in 1977 and currently has 1,620 members representing 61 cooperatives. Members of EL CEIBO produce close to 800 metric tons of cocoa per year. EL CEIBO also owns a factory in La Paz that produces cocoa butter and cocoa powder for export, as well as chocolate for the domestic market.
EL CEIBO’s member cooperatives are at varying stages of development and several are participating in ACCESO’s farmer organizational development initiative. As a part of the workshop, farmer leaders visited EL CEIBO headquarters to learn about the cooperative’s structure and management practices that have allowed it to grow successfully over the last thirty years.
Colombia: Planning for the Future
Asociación Agropecuaria de Cacaocultures de Santander (ASOMUCARI) is an organization of 400 farmers founded in 2000. Members of the association are receiving training and support from Federación Nacional de Cacaoteros (FEDECACAO), the US Agency for International Development MIDAS Project, and CasaLuker. ASOMUCARI’s membership is growing, but improved management skills are needed to successfully expand the organization.
ASOMUCARI General Manager Libardo Barón participated in ACCESO’s farmer organization workshop in Colombia. He found the work plan development exercise to be particularly useful noting, “The workshop will allow us to plan our activities in the field and use our small infrastructure efficiently.” ASOMUCARI will receive continuing support from FEDECACAO, CasaLuker, and ACCESO as they implement their work plan.
Colombia: Quality and Market Access
Asociación de Productores Agropecuarios de María La Baja (ASPROAGROMAR) is an association of 226 new cocoa farmers based in Bolivar. The association has been working closely with Compañía Nacional de Chocolates and will market their first cocoa beans next year. General Secretary Valentín García was one of ASPROAGROMAR representatives to attend the farmer organization workshop.
Among the many topics covered, a session on cocoa quality that included a demonstration of the cut test was especially valuable for his organization. “The workshop helped us to understand how important cocoa quality is to get new markets,” he explained. He was also hopeful that the work plan his organization developed would help to pursue other sources of funding for their work.
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