Americas - Sustainable Cocoa for the Americas (SCA)
Carlos Sanchez, a small producer from the village of San Carlos in Ecuador’s Amazon region notices the change: “Before the use of solar dryers, during the harvest time usually we don’t have good climate conditions for drying cacao. We were forced to spend the whole day waiting for some sun to dry our cacao, sometimes without success and because of that we are forced to sell un-dried or poorly dried cacao at very low prices.”
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The Issue:
- Latin American cocoa farmers face many challenges that often deprive them of much-needed income:
- Crop loss due to disease
- Outdated farming practices
- In addition, protecting the environment via responsible, sustainable farming practices is a priority.
Partners:
How World Cocoa Foundation Programs Help:
- The WCF established the Sustainable Cocoa for the Americas (SCA) program to expand industry support for cocoa farmers, their families and communities in Latin America. The SCA allows interested companies to fund specific projects focused at the farm and community level that complement the overall mission/principles of the WCF.
- The Blommer Chocolate Company sponsors a program to construct 500 solar dryers for farmers in Ecuador to dry their cocoa crop. These dryers will ensure that farmers are able to complete an essential step in the harvesting process and will receive strong prices for their crop.
- The “solar dryer” program will benefit 500 farming families directly, with many more families benefiting through cooperative use of the equipment.
Learn More:
August 2007 Progress to Date: Solar Dryer Project
Success Story: Solar Dryers Increase Efficiency and Improve Quality