Good chocolate is something you enjoy with all your senses. But the great chocolate is all about being passionate every step of the way: from how the trees are grown to the alchemical processes of transforming beans into sublime quality.
And passion is what both BLCF partners brought to the organic cocoa bean project in the Dominican Republic. It began when Conocado, a small cocoa growers association, joined with Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa, chocolate and confectionery products.
Conocado sought to break the vicious circle of fluctuating cocoa prices, low income and debt and so improve the living conditions of its members and families. Barry Callebaut faced the challenge of securing a constant supply of raw organic cocoa beans of superior quality.
The success of organic fair trade coffee showed that there is a niche market of socially conscious consumers who will pay a higher price for a fair trade product – and this means that farmers may earn up to 50 per cent more. BLCF support for the project from 2002 enabled the coffee model to be tested with other products.
Essentially organic farming is a different production method and managing the process is a major skill that farmers must master. Accurate record keeping is essential for both Fair Trade and organic certification. Weed control is by non-chemical methods including crop rotation and manual weeding. To maintain soil health and productivity, composting using discarded cocoa pods and manure fertilisers replaces chemical fertilisers and all synthetic and toxic pesticides are replaced by naturally approved products.
Cocoa trees thrive in tropical temperatures within the protective shadow of tall growing plants such as fruit trees, bananas and palms. Six months after fertilisation, the elongated green melon-like pods change to yellow-orange, are harvested by hand and allowed to ripen. Plantation workers open the outer peel, the pulp containing the beans is removed and the beans are left to ferment, covered with banana leaves, on the ground or in trays for about five days. This is when the beans develop their aroma and fruit pulp is removed naturally with the beans changing colour from beige to purple.
After drying, cocoa farmers take their harvest to collection centres where the beans are graded. From each farmer's harvest a sample of 100 beans is cut open, the contents graded and the batch allocated a quality code.
Weighed beans are packed into 50 kilogram bales, which are sealed – the source and quality of the beans assured – and the sacks stored in warehouses, their origins registered. After a second quality control, the sacks await shipment to their new destinations.
Initially, due to many previous government-run programmes not being completed, it was hard to foster faith in the project's longevity and viability but by selecting strong regional leaders and persisting with frequent technical visits, meeting and workshops to encourage a team approach, grower resistance was overcome.
The training and infrastructure provided through the project greatly improved all production and growers and technicians now have the knowledge and technical ability to produce superior quality organic cocoa. The Dominican Republic had no tradition of fermenting so implementing this helped to improve the cocoa quality and convert production to certified organic.
The last training series meant 1355 growers had been reached, 1005 more than the project's target. The overall volume of cocoa beans produced has increased by 95 per cent, the harvest and post-harvest employment rate has increased 50 per cent and there are two organic certification inspections a year covering 2000 certified growers.
During the project stronger relationships down the supply chain were established. Barry Callebaut is now a long term partner of the Conocado cooperative, which is able to supply quality organic cocoa periodically. The milestone of producing 500 tons in the 'gourmet' market was passed with 700 tons and Conocado, now the country's top quality and quantity cocoa producing organisation, established new linkages with other European buyers in Italy and the UK.
Other developments from the organic certification of the cocoa farms include five new fermentation centres, eight new drying centres and two central warehouses, cocoa production as a tourist attraction, the small growers women's group producing quality organic by-products such as cocoa wine and liquor, jams and chocolates, as well as organic fertilisers, and the formal transportation system creates more employment for truck drivers.
The biggest impact of working to ensure a sustainable cocoa industry has been on poverty. Working with small growers and, in particular, choosing the poorest production regions (Yamasá and El Castillo) was a productive step to improve rural livelihoods. Small growers now receive a substantial differential payment per ton (US$405/ton) and 1226 farmers (target 350) are producing superior organic cocoa. A 25 per cent increase in employment came about by involving women in the drying stage and Conocado has upgraded its computer technology and taken internet connectivity to remote communities.
The cooperative also continues to expand its assistance to its members including a plant nursery, financial support and export assistance, health care (free medical assistance and STD information sessions and investment in a rural health care clinic). Support also has been forthcoming for the construction of a new school and repairs to others in its five regions.
For more information contact BLCF fund manager, the Emerging Markets Group at this address