Visit to cocoa farmers in Panama
In August 2019, Lorenz Huber, who has responsibility for the cocoa department, visited our cooperative partner COCABO in Panama. The cocoa from this region has a particularly mild taste and is, therefore, also especially suitable for chocolate with a high cocoa content.
The cooperative has approximately 1,500 members, who live in the province of Bocas del Toro, near the border with Costa Rica. 95% of the cooperative members are indigenous people with their own language and culture. The majority identifies as Ngöbe, a larger population group of approximately 250,000 members. A minority of about 2,500 people lives in seclusion in the kingdom of Naso, allegedly the last monarchy in the Americas. Many indigenous farmers lead a self-sufficient existence, in which cocoa is often the sole source of income for purchasing additional goods.
A visit to Ramón
After a two-hour car journey, Lorenz reaches the ranch of Ramón Castillo in the cross-border La Amistad International Park, home to thousands of plant and animal species. There is no running water, let alone electricity, internet or television. Rainwater is collected and cooking is done over the fire. This Ngöbe farmer is taking part in a plant rejuvenation project. At first, Don Ramón was very sceptical, but the prospect of sustainably increasing yields has finally convinced him. Now, in the third year of the project, he has already doubled his yield. In the next two years, he expects to double the amount again, with further upwards potential. Since Ramón has no other significant sources of income, the financial situation of his family is set to improve noticeably.
Farmers with no fermentation boxes ferment their cocoa in sacks, as Don Ramón does. However, his drying plant needs to be expanded now, as it is reaching its limits with the increase in yields. One of the ways the FLO premiums paid by PRONATEC are being used is to extend drying capacity.
A visit to Nilka
The Naso-Indian Nilka is not only a cocoa farmer and co-owner of COCABO, but also Head of the Bonyic women’s organisation, which has set up an agritourism project. The hard-working women run a hostel and a restaurant, and sell items made by local craftsmen and women. Guests learn about the culture and traditions of the Naso people and are able to take part in workshops. Thanks to some solar cells on the roofs, there is even electricity here. In Bonyic, the road comes to an end. If you want to go further into the Naso Kingdom, you have to take a boat upriver. Lorenz is warmly welcomed and given rice, beans and chicken on a banana leaf for lunch.
Most of the smallholders’ ranches are located on hilly, rough terrain and can often be reached only on foot. Cocoa cultivation is very labour intensive here. The enormous biodiversity on the shady plots of land provides the best conditions for cocoa. Nevertheless, the trees have to be regularly pruned and cared for, to prevent a potential insect infestation or fungal disease from spreading – of course, no pesticides or fungicides are used on organic cocoa.
Lorenz is enthusiastic about how close the smallholders are to nature and how hard they work, and is delighted to continue sourcing this exclusive cocoa for our organic Fairtrade chocolate.