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Sustainable Amazon Cocoa

Promoting sustainability and resilience in cocoa supply chains by validating strategies that help producers and their families achieve a living income. The project aims to strengthen the sustainability of the cocoa supply chain of SUMAQAO, a supplier of Lindt & Sprüngli. It does so through pilot interventions that validate and share good alternatives for income diversification, working with 600 producers.
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Padre abad
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puerto inca
 
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coronel portillo
 
Peru
Project duration
2025 - 2027
Financed by
  • SWISSCO
  • Lindt & Sprüngli / SUMAQAO

Most producers are migrants whose main activity is cocoa farming. Their income depends heavily on international cocoa prices. When prices become unstable or fall, they temporarily abandon their crops and move to other economic activities in rural and urban areas.

Cocoa producers in the project area have favourable agroclimatic conditions for growing cocoa. However, they face challenges related to climate factors and price instability, which affect their income. 

Given these recurring cycles of price instability, interventions are needed that help cocoa producers diversify their income and adapt to climate change. This contributes to resilient agriculture and stable incomes, and secures their livelihoods.

The project

Specifically, the project will:

  • Validate complementary, market-oriented income alternatives through household-based guinea pig farming and beekeeping.
  • Introduce efficient irrigation technologies on cocoa farms to optimise water use, improve productivity and promote agricultural practices that are more resilient to climate change.

The partnership between Swisscontact and SUMAQAO will address key sustainability challenges. These include the economic instability of smallholder producers and the environmental impact of unsustainable agricultural activities. At the same time, it promotes inclusive economies.

The project will implement the following components and activities:

1) Income diversification: The project will promote income diversification beyond cocoa and strengthen producers' resilience to market and climate shocks. Initiatives will target niches with growing demand and connect producers with concrete business opportunities. To this end, the project will promote:

  • Beekeeping: Introducing beekeeping (Apis mellifera) on cocoa farms will increase household income and improve pollination in the forest surrounding the farm, promoting environmentally sustainable practices
  • Guinea pigs: Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) farming on cocoa farms is proposed as a diversification pilot. It builds on the presence of Andean families with a tradition of consuming guinea pig, the low space requirements, the compatibility with forest cover, and the nutritional and economic value. Proximity to the UNAS Production Centre in Tingo María, with modules adapted to the Amazon climate, strengthens its viability.
  • Strengthening rural enterprises: Rural enterprises run by cocoa producers (bio-inputs, by-products, value chain services, among others) will be strengthened through training and advice on designing viable business plans. Seed capital will be awarded to the most promising enterprises, selected through a competition, with a focus on the participation of women and young people.

2) Promoting irrigation technology: This intervention addresses the efficient and sustainable use of water to improve the yield of cocoa plantations while minimising environmental impact.

Project goals 

The project aims to strengthen the sustainability of the cocoa supply chain of SUMAQAO, a supplier of Lindt & Sprüngli. It does so through pilot interventions that validate and share practices for diversifying production.

Project partners

  • SUMAQAO

Expected results

The expected impact is to validate alternatives for income diversification and crop resilience:

  • 63 selected producers validate complementary, market-oriented income alternatives and irrigation technologies that optimise water use. These production models contribute to diversification and a better quality of life for producers, in line with the SDGs and the SWISSCO Roadmap 2030.
  • 550 members are trained or informed on income diversification through visits to operating businesses promoted by the project.
  • 360 producers are trained in financial literacy through replication sessions led by local agricultural technicians and credit promoters from financial institutions.
  • 180 members are trained in guinea pig and/or bee production. Of these, 28 will set up guinea pig pilot modules and 16 bee pilot modules, selected according to technical criteria.
  • 50 members of producer families are trained in business planning. At least 10 will access the seed fund for innovative productive enterprises.
  • 40 members are trained in installing and managing efficient irrigation and fertigation systems. 9 will install pilot modules.