SUCCESS Alliance Ecuador
Over the past 25 to 40 years, smallholder farms in Ecuador have experienced a decline in productivity due to a variety of factors including the prevalence of the frosty pod and witches’ broom diseases. Average production has fallen to 200-400 lbs of dry cocoa per hectare, one of the lowest average production rates among major cocoa exporting countries. Discouraged, smallholder farmers often ceased active engagement on the farm and assumed the role of “harvesters”, harvesting pods from a few trees still in production.
The Issue:
- Cocoa farmers in Ecuador harvest less cocoa each year, due to disease and aging trees
- The same issues also impact on the quality of cocoa from the country—further eroding farmers’ earning potential.
How World Cocoa Foundation Programs Help:
- The SUCCESS (SUstainable CoCoa Enterprise Solutions for Smallholders) Alliance provides farmers in Ecuador with instruction and technical support to increase their earnings.
- Individual programs under the SUCCESS alliance include:
- Farmer training via a series of “Farmer Field Schools”
- Research to develop and promote improved techniques to fight disease
- Organizing farmers to share knowledge and apply sound business techniques to cocoa farming
- To date , the Farmer Field Schools program has trained 13,489 family farmers—arming them with knowledge to earn more from their cocoa crop.
Learn More:
April 2008 Progress to Date: SUCCESS Alliance Ecuador
Success Story: Grafting with Luis Miguel
Success Story: Soccer Referee Rules Cocoa a Success
Success Story: Naranjito Farmers: Working Together to Improve Quality and Increase Price