MENU
back
en
In the fertile subregions of Urabá and Magdalena Medio, small-scale cacao producers face intertwined challenges: depleted soil degradation, low diversification, fragmented governance, and increasing international market pressure for deforestation-free and climate-resilient products. Traditional monoculture methods, limited access to regenerative technologies, and uneven technical support have led to stagnant yields and landscapes vulnerable to erosion and biodiversity loss.
Global brands and investors demand sustainable, traceable cacao that meets strict ESG criteria. Given the risks posed by fragmented smallholder plots and traditional methods in Antioquia—from yield volatility to reputational damage due to deforestation—the Paisajes+Sostenibles (P+S) project, implemented by Swisscontact and funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) through the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO), offers a comprehensive solution.
Under the program “Transition to Regenerative Organic Agriculture,” twenty-one technicians and professionals from Urabá and Magdalena Medio participated in an intensive seven-module course designed to forge strong alliances and provide practical tools to transform their farms.
Thanks to joint collaboration among public and private entities, academic institutions, and NGOs, key knowledge was shared on regenerative principles—from soil management to biofertilizer production—empowering participants to adapt and implement sustainable, environmentally respectful agricultural practices.
These capacity-building efforts are supported by strategic Switzerland–Colombia alliances. Through the Swiss Expert Network, academic and scientific ties foster long-term collaborations, while the technical alliance with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) ensures the transfer of cutting-edge knowledge in regenerative organic agriculture. Colombia’s AGROSAVIA contributes expertise in cacao agroforestry systems and soil management, and the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) enriches the program with its experience in regenerative food systems, completing a curriculum that translates theory into field practices.
Transforming Cacao Farming: Sustainability, Strategy, and Market Success
At Hacienda Betulia, a former cattle ranch turned fine-flavor cacao farm targeting high-value gourmet markets, owners leveraged P+S training to secure buyers in the U.S. and EU, who prioritize sensory attributes and seek premium, sustainable beans. Participants saw a tangible example of how regenerative cacao practices, when paired with strategic investment, commercial coordination, and access to specialized markets, can succeed.
With new composting methods, legume planting for shade, and social standards for fourteen workers, Betulia increased soil organic matter by 30% in six months. These advances translated into a 20% price premium in export markets and strengthened investor confidence through a transparent, deforestation-free supply chain.
Similarly, at Villa San Juliana, a couple who left the city to grow cacao integrated biochar and legume clusters into degraded ravines. Despite ongoing challenges like labor shortages and limited market access, P+S’s on-site regeneration assessments allow technicians to tailor interventions to each plot’s unique topography, maximizing return on effort and sequestering more carbon per hectare.
By incorporating local technicians into territorial governance structures, P+S promotes data-driven decision-making at the municipal level, directly supporting the sustainable landscapes approach.
Initial results show a 15–25% increase in yields on pilot farms, along with measurable gains in biodiversity and soil carbon indices. These achievements bolster donor confidence in scaling the model regionally.
For impact-focused investors, the project offers metrics such as reduced input costs through on-site organic amendments, reliable yield increases, and access to high-value export markets.
The transparent traceability system—from training records to soil analyses—mitigates reputational risks and meets the demanding ESG reporting standards of sustainable companies.
Swisscontact’s core belief in empowering local actors underpins every aspect of P+S. By aligning donor funds, policy frameworks, and investment capital around a shared regenerative vision, the project demonstrates how private initiative can drive systemic change.
Local technicians become champions of sustainable landscapes, municipalities integrate climate adaptation into territorial planning, and investors find profitable pathways that protect forests.
As P+S expands beyond its two subregions, it offers a replicable model: forging strategic knowledge alliances, equipping technicians with regenerative tools, and connecting producers with markets that reward sustainability. This integrated approach ensures that every dollar of support and every peso of investment generates measurable environmental and economic returns, transforming the future of Colombian cacao.