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Who we work with

    • USDA

    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Food for Progress program, assists developing countries and emerging democracies in modernizing and strengthening their agricultural sectors. Food for Progress has two main objectives: to improve agricultural productivity and expand the trade of agricultural products.

    In Colombia, with an investment of USD 25 million over 5 years, the Food for Progress Program is supporting the Colombian cacao value chain through the Cacao and Complementary Crops for Development -C4D Project, that aims to increase productivity, improve living incomes of cacao farmers and expand trade of cacao and its complementary crops.

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    Agrosavia

    The role of research is crucial to advance in the sector. It is essential that the information shared among members possesses the necessary scientific rigor to instill confidence in the implementation of new processes within the cocoa sector. Entities such as research centers, corporations, universities, and laboratories are conducting significant work around each step of the value chain and transformation of cacao and its complementary crops.

    As a result of two contracts signed with the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation – AGROSAVIA, we are developing two research projects within the activity called “Cacao Post-Harvest Management” in the cacao regions of the departments of Caldas, Huila and Tolima.

    The first research or component 1 focuses on the study of the feasibility of establishing fermentation centers, based on models of transportation logistics, processing of cocoa beans, management of cocoa by-products, cost and personnel management, and processes of aggregation and processing of products from complementary crops to cocoa. The aim is to ensure that the existing and planned fermentation centers function optimally in financial, logistical and operational terms. Finally, there will be software to run these same models in regions other than the three aforementioned departments.

    The second research or component 2 focuses on establishing appropriate fermentation protocols based on sensory profiles (flavor and aroma) of the cacao grown by producers in these three departments. Based on the identification of climatic zones, the typicality of the cocoa being produced will be characterized through genetic profiling and the integration of characteristics that may influence quality, through fermentation and roasting tests. The aim is to find the best flavor and aroma profile for each zone so that, with the development of these profiles, potential buyers can be offered the cocoa of their preference.

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    We work with producer organizations in 14 departments of Colombia

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    OUR EXTENSIONISTS

    Eleyda Becerra

    Advices producers in the municipalities of Chiriguaná, Curumaní and La Jagua de Ibirico in Cesar.

    Jesús Lozano

    Advices 124 producers in the municipality of Pueblo Bello in Cesar.

    Edilson Torres

    Advices 97 producers in the different municipalities of Cesar.

    Edinson Silva

    Advices 90 producers in the municipalities of Dibulla in La Guajira and Santa Marta in Magdalena.

    Ronaldo Pupo Hernandez

    Advices 58 producers in the different municipalities of Cesar and leads the technical team in Cesar.

    Fredys Caselles

    Advices 62 producers in the different municipalities of Cesar.

    Edgar Alfonso Morales

    Advices 112 producers in the municipalities of Morales and Santa Rosa del Sur in Bolivar and leads the technical team in Bolivar.

    Nelson Diaz

    Advices 93 producers in the different municipalities of Santander and leads the technical team in Santander.

    Dublas Arkin Pinto

    Advices 86 producers in the different municipalities of Bolivar.

    Thalia Gafaro

    Advices 46 producers in the different municipalities of Santander.

    Jiner Niño Solano

    Advices 64 producers in the municipality of Nilo in Cundinamarca.

    Ada Eunice Lombana

    Advices 89 producers in the different municipalities in Meta.

    Julio Cesar Suarez

    Advices 73 producers in the different municipalities of Antioquia and Córdoba and he leads the technical team in Antioquia.

    Divier Santander Perez

    Advices 113 producers in the municipalities of Puerto Libertador, Tierralta and Valencia in Córdoba.

    Enith Yohanna Rendon

    Advices 117 producers in the different municipalities of Cordoba and leads the technical team in Cordoba.

    Mario Betin

    Advices 84 producers in the different municipalities of Córdoba.

    Miguel Ángel Romero

    Advices 97 producers in the different municipalities of Córdoba.

    Jesús Sanchez

    Advices 102 producers in the different municipalities of Córdoba

    Julio César Oliva

    Advices 66 producers in the municipality of Tierralta in Córdoba.

    Samuel Gallego Vidal

    Advices 82 producers in the Valencia municipalities in Córdoba.

    Yeison Enrique Diaz

    Advices 45 producers in the different municipalities of Córdoba.

    Liyey Mayerli Vahos

    Advices 66 producers in the different municipalities of Antioquia.

    Alexander Pardo

    Advices 199 producers in the different municipalities of Tolima.

    William González

    Advices 107 producers in the different municipalities of Huila.

    Katherine Ortiz

    Advices 115 producers in the different municipalities of Huila and leads the technical team in Huila.

    Félix Sánchez

    Advices 134 producers in the different municipalities of Huila.

    Mauricio Duque

    Advices 77 producers in the different municipalities of Caldas and he leads the technical team in Caldas.

    Yeison Ortega

    Advices 338 producers in the different municipalities of Caldas.

    Roberto de Jesús Muñoz

    Advices 94 producers in the different municipalities of Tolima.

    Juan Jaiver Romero

    Advices 123 producers in the different municipalities of Tolima and leads the technical team in Tolima.

    Alexander Rojas

    Advices 26 producers in the different municipalities of Tolima.

    Astrith Lorena Mejia

    Advices 82 producers in the different municipalities of Tolima

    Daniel Felipe Orrego

    Advices 99 producers in the different municipalities of Antioquia and Caldas and leads the technical team in Caldas and Antioquia.

    María Camila Villegas

    Advices 140 producers in the municipalities of Aipe, Palermo and Rivera in Huila.

    Oscar Alexis Narváez

    Advices 90 producers in the different municipalities of Tolima.

    Steven Eduardo Cortes

    Advices 109 producers in the different municipalities in Tolima.

    Leider Idarraga

    Advices 84 producers in the different municipalities in Caldas.

    John Wilmar Jimenez

    Advices 34 producers in the different municipalities in Risaralda.

    Victor Julián Ríos

    Advices 59 producers in Risaralda and Caldas.

    Luis Eduardo Rincón Sierra

    Advices over 80 producers in Rionegro, Santander.

    Fermín Arango

    Advices producers in Antioquia.

    Nurby Janeth Aponza

    Advices producers in Cauca.

    Andrea del Pilar Salazar

    Advices producers in Huila.

    Alberto Duarte

    Advices producers in Córdoba.

    Duvan Bustamante

    Advices producers in Tolima.

    Giovany Perez

    Advices producers in Tolima.

    Hernán Ramírez

    Advices producers in Tolima.

    Hugo Suaza

    Advices producers in Antioquia.

    José Luis Duarte

    Advices producers in Bolivar.

    Oscar Ortiz

    Advices producers in Tolima.

    Zurley Care

    Advices producers in Antioquia.

    Buyers

    These are some of the main cocoa buyers in Colombia and members of the C4D Community.

    Compañía Nacional de Chocolates and Fundación Nutresa

    Compañía Nacional de Chocolates and Fundación Nutresa are strategic allies of the C4D project, financing part of the project costs, specifically in areas related to technical assistance and training of extensionists. Through the alliance with Compañía Nacional de Chocolates, we strengthen the commercialization of cacao, complementing C4D’s agricultural extension strategy by providing technical assistance through training to associations, producers and extensionists. We also carry out technical visits and tours to promote and strengthen good cultivation practices, provide planting material, and promote the sustainability of cacao growers’ organizations through working capital and management strengthening, among other strategies.

    Casa Luker

    CasaLuker is a strategic partner of the project with whom we execute joint activities, in order to improve the income of cacao farming families, increase productivity and quality, promote digital and face-to-face technical assistance, and commercial and managerial strengthening of organizations, to improve the competitiveness of the sector, within the framework of the C4D project. Specifically, we evaluate and disseminate new technologies for on-farm implementation and alternatives for the use of cacao residues, complement the technical advice and monitoring of good practices, provide plant material and strengthen the sale of cacao produced by producers and marketed by the organizations linked to the project.

    Renacer Origen Cauca Project: Fundación Mundo Mujer and Cacao Hunters

    For the department of Cauca, C4D signed an agreement as an ally of the “Renacer Origen Cauca” project implemented by Cacao de Colombia SAS (Cacao Hunters) and financed by Fundación Mundo Mujer, with the purpose of working together to help undertake, in a sustainable manner, agricultural and business initiatives to improve productivity and profitability, which in turn, will improve the livelihoods of farmers and entrepreneurs in the value chains of cacao and its complementary crops located in this department. Specifically, we supported the strengthening of three cacao growers’ organizations, fostering the entrepreneurship of young cacao growers, providing on-site and digital agricultural extension services, and developing and positioning the Cauca Origin for cacao and chocolate at the national and international level.

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    Capacity Building Partners

    iC Fundación

    iC Fundación as implementing partner of C4D's organizational strengthening strategy has the task of strengthening 74 cacao producer organizations based on an initial analysis of their Level of Enterprise Development (LED). It works to support them in creating sustainable business models for both cacao and complementary crops. It will also facilitate access to working capital management strategies, enabling them, depending on their LED, to pilot, consolidate or scale their business models.