Climate alliances and cooperatives for an Amazon with more opportunities

This project aims to enhance the climate resilience of cocoa producers and their vulnerable families particularly indigenous ones in Amazonas Cajamarca and San Martín. It seeks to promote climate-smart nature-based solutions (NBS) for small cacao farmers and their families to improve productivity and counter deforestation. The project also strengthens associations and cooperatives to improve governance business performance and connections to niche markets. The project focuses on women’s empowerment throughout its implementation to enable greater participation and influence in their families associations cooperatives and the cacao agricultural sector in general. Project activities include: (1) supporting research on cacao NBS; (2) providing technical training on cacao NBS and technical support for cocoa farmers; (3) helping associations or cooperatives and their members set up and implement diversified cacao agroforestry plots and prepare for ‘zero deforestation’ certification standards; (4) delivering an inclusive organizational strengthening program for participating associations or cooperatives; (5) developing gender-sensitive and climate change-resilient business plans and strategies; (6) setting up transformative women leadership schools within participating associations or cooperatives; and (7) facilitating market access by linking innovative financing mechanisms and connections with potential buyers. The project directly benefits 30 000 people consisting of over 6 000 small cacao farmers (70% women) and their families in the Amazonas Cajamarca and San Martin provinces with at least 50% being from indigenous groups. It also indirectly benefits 460 000 people who live off the incomes generated by cocoa plants and derived products by improving governance in the sector and strengthening associations or cooperatives.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased adoption of climate-smart nature-based cacao farming solutions that support forest biodiversity by small-scale cacao producers and their families particularly women and indigenous populations; (2) improved performance of cacao associations and cooperatives in support of small-scale cacao producers and their families particularly women and indigenous populations; and (3) a sustainably improved business environment for small-scale cacao producers and their families particularly women and indigenous populations.