Cocoa from Madagascar received the renowned “Cacao fin” label from the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) about ten years ago. The speciality cocoa from Madagascar delights people across the globe with its intense, full and sweet taste with a hint of bitterness and rounded off with slightly sour and fruity aromas. Cocoa farming offers a good livelihood to many farmers of the Sambirano valley in northern Madagascar. CPCS or Cooperative Premium Cacao Sambirano is based in Ambanja and was established in 2017 from an existing cooperative. Today, the independent cooperative includes small farmers from eight villages cultivating some 91,740 cocoa trees. Working together as small farmer cooperative offers members many advantages. They benefit from agricultural trainings to improve quality as well as yields and receive access to international markets.

The organic fine flavour cocoa of CPCS is grown in woodland-like agroforestry systems. These systems protect biodiversity and provide natural protection from pests and diseases. They also result in better water retention, increase organic matter and improve soil structure. The cocoa trees do not need to be watered (with the exception of the cocoa seedlings). The forest floor is naturally covered with mulch, the soil does not need to be tilled, and no synthetic fertilisers or pesticides whatsoever are used.

The local partner of CPCS, PREMIUM SPICES, has not only been taking care of quality control and export but has also been supporting the cooperatives throughout the certification process, which requires a lot of know-how. It is thanks to this support that CPCS was able to gain organic certification in early 2017 and Fairtrade certification at the beginning of 2018. Together, they have been able to achieve best cocoa quality by introducing innovative fermentation boxes as well as drying areas financed by Fairtrade premiums, allowing for professional cocoa processing in the villages.

Since 2023, CPCS has been part of the long-term, multi-stakeholder project «Climate Resilient Cocoa Landscape» initiated by the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa. The project aims at a sustainable management of the entire Sambirano Valley and safeguard forests to mitigate deforestation. In addition, the project is engaged in reforestation efforts to increase the forest area. The primary factor in deforestation being poverty, the project aims to increase and diversify household incomes so that farmers are resilient to shocks, including the effects of climate change. Another pillar is the securing of land rights, which is essential to encourage farmers to make a sustainable commitment to their plots.