Fair trade cocoa: increasing yields by looking after the soil and providing technical support
The smallholders’ organisation FUNDOPO in the Dominican Republic is one of our main cocoa suppliers and is exemplary in both its financial and organisational set-up. At the Annual General Meeting on 6 March 2022, the members elected a new president and set their priorities for the coming year: to look after cocoa-growing plots of land and provide technical support for smallholders.
Our certification and cocoa specialist, Christoph Eisenbeiss, attended this year’s general meeting. "Through our subsidiary YACAO, we have worked very closely with FUNDOPO for years. This local representation helps us to gain a better understanding of what the smallholders’ organisation needs and makes it easier for us to work together."
Top-quality organic cocoa results from looking after cocoa-growing land
This year, the Dominican smallholders’ organisation is focusing on maintaining and regenerating plots of land for growing cocoa, with the aim of increasing yields for the long-term and producing cocoa beans of the best possible quality. For that reason, the biggest items of expenditure in 2022 will be production aids and technical support. FUNDOPO would like to sell around 5,500 tonnes of organic cocoa in 2022. To achieve that goal, the smallholders will be supported in investing even more in maintaining and caring for the plots of land where they grow cocoa beans.
FUNDOPO elects a new president
The election of the new president, Héctor Epifanio, came at the end of the general meeting. There were enough delegates from all the regions to form a quorate committee and make a legally valid decision. The outgoing president Virginio Mueses expressed his satisfaction that he was leaving behind a healthy foundation whose financial stability set an excellent example. The Managing Director of FUNDOPO, Wilder Nahui, then gave a report on the previous year and explained some changes to the constitution which would make the organisation even stronger. These changes were accepted in a vote and give reason to hope that the coming year 2022 will be a year of growth.
Cocoa nursery: a visit to the next generation of trees
On a visit to the cocoa nursery in Medina, Christoph Eisenbeiss saw for himself the importance of the various services offered by FUNDOPO for its members. “The grafted cocoa seedlings will ensure that the smallholders’ land will give good yields for the long term and that high quality cocoa beans will be harvested.” Being able to obtain young plants directly from the nursery enables the farmers to buy improved varieties at a reasonable price. FUNDOPO is also currently investing in skilled local experts who are training the smallholders in cultivation, maintenance and processing.