Latin America
Central and South America have played an important part in the history of cocoa; scientists believe that cocoa is originally from the upper Amazon basin (somewhere between Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil).
In the 1970s, Brazil’s farmers led the world in cocoa production. However, disease virtually reduced its production to less than half and the country became a net importer of cocoa from other origins.
Today, cocoa farming in the Americas is centered primarily within Brazil and the Andean region. Although as a region roughly 10% of world production comes from the Americas, these countries are well known for producing fine flavor beans that are primarily used in high end chocolate and in dark, single origin products.
In Latin America, the average cocoa farm is 3 hectares, and supports 5-7 people. Altogether, there are approximately 500,000 cocoa farms in the region.
World Cocoa Foundation programs in Latin America:
- Help farmers earn more for their cocoa crop through improved productivity, reduced crop loss and better farming practices, including crop diversification
- Organize farmers to help them obtain a greater percentage of the price paid for cocoa
- Help farmers improve the overall quality of their cocoa so that it commands a premium on the international market
For general information about individual programs, click on the links below:
For August 2007 progress to date, click on the links below: