HCP Designee  #5: la Asociación de Productores Agropecuarios Artesanal Nueva Esperanza (ASOANE)
Puerto Quito, EcuadorThis week we are hearing from Diego Saquicela Rojas, consultant to la Asociación de Productores Agropecuarios Artesanal Nueva Esperanza (ASOANE), HCP Designee #5. ASOANE is an association of 25 producers of artisanal agriculture located in Puerto Quito, Ecuador.
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ASOANE has been awarded two ‘nursery program’ grants from HCP, funded by the Lesley Family Foundation, to establish a clonal garden to propagate their unique Heirloom designated cacao.  Diego has overseen these two programs and, has taken the time to answer some questions in regards to how the Pandemic is affecting the association.

Q: What is the status in your country/region?
A: In Ecuador, transportation and mobility have been restricted since March 17 due to the pandemic, and a curfew is in place for the afternoon and evening. However, among the exceptions to this security measure are farmers, who are free to carry out their activities without the need for any safe-conduct. Products, and even some inputs, can then be moved to and from the farms.
At the moment, the normalization of activities has begun, although it will be a slow and complicated process, because there are several phases and people are very eager to go out and carry out their normal lives.
In Ecuador, three phases are planned before returning to normal. Simulating a traffic light, we have the red, yellow and green phase, in decreasing order of restriction. At the moment, almost the whole country is in a red phase.
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Q: What challenges has the pandemic caused in ASOANE’s operations?
A: The HCP program activities in the community have been affected, because it is not allowed and it is a bad idea to have meetings with the farmers.  Therefore, all the coordination of meetings has been suspended and there is very little conversation by phone or messages.  In the area where the farmers live telephone and internet coverage is limited. Therefore, the communication and coordination are always more effective in face-to-face meetings.

Q: How has the pandemic affected the economy in your area?
A: The economy of ASOANE farmers so far has not been seriously affected. However, the whole country is envisioning a very strong economic crisis due to the pandemic and economic measures taken by the government.  There is a deterioration in the quality of public and private employment, is expected to increase the cost of fuel, which according to several analysts will generate less consumption capacity and there will influence farmers; specifically in the demand for their products and prices paid for their products. In the case of ASOANE, as they are involved in cocoa bean production, and as this is mainly an export product, there will be some security in maintaining stable prices especially if the consumer markets (Europe, USA) manage to overcome the economic crisis quickly, but other products for domestic consumption may be affected.
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Q: Are you developing new opportunities to adapt to these new challenges?
A: ASOANE members are less anxious, because they have been able to continue working on their farms; unlike city dwellers. Among the activities that ASOANE has been developing is the preparation of chocolate bars for tourist companies. Before the emergency there was an order for 15,000 chocolate bars. However, that order was cancelled and some business opportunities have been lost. They hope to be able to sell those bars as soon as the emergency passes. That is complicated in Ecuador where the consumption of chocolate bars is very low.

How can you help support Heirloom Designees around the world during these uncertain times? Click the following link to our Buy Heirloom Chocolate page on our website, where you can find a list of retailers selling chocolate made from Heirloom designated cacao beans.
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With your purchase, you will enjoy extraordinary chocolate and support our Heirloom farmers.

Q: How has the Pandemic affected MMC operations?
A: In late March, Belize confirmed its first case of Covid-19. At the time, MMC was still in full operation- meaning buying cacao from farmers in the field, the office team working at MMC’s compound, HCP trial plots in maintenance and processing of cacao beans in full swing.

Shortly after the announcement, the Government of Belize issued out several Statutory Instruments (SI) in phases that gradually changed the operations of MMC and the operations of all other entities in Belize. So, the office team started working remotely; the field officers paused on all field operations such as buying cacao from farmers in their respective villages and conducting weekly farmer visits while MMC’s processing continued; however, with a much leaner team. This all happened during the peak season for cacao which are the months of March through May; therefore, impacting farmers with lower income generated from cacao sales to MMC.

To address this drastic change in operation, the management team at MMC concluded that operations must halt by 50% in order to produce a contingency plan that will support MMC’s sustainability and longevity during this pandemic. So, this included laying off a few seasonal workers.  All HCP projects placed on halt; work hours reduced by an hour (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) in which a normal buying day would last to 7 p.m. in the peak season; hence, it was no longer feasible. This implementation was necessary for the benefit of all and as a means of preventing the spread of the virus. The country is still in a State of Emergency with several SI lifted; however, with higher cost of penalties if found in violation of any of the SI’s.

Q: Are you developing new opportunities to adapt to these new challenges?
A: MMC continues to operate with buying once a month from cacao farmers and are accepting delivery of cacao beans at the facility only. MMC landed its first ever historic buying of 60,000 wet pounds of cacao beans bought between the hours of 8 a.m. to 12 noon. on a single buying day. MMC continues to communicate and work closely with farmers and find means of accessing PPE’s for MMC staff and cacao farmers.

MMC Nursery Program
In 2018 MMC was awarded two HCP grants funded by the Lesley Family Foundation and Penn State University to identify at least 10 mother trees that are scientifically selected for desirable traits (production yield, disease resistance, etc.) certified heirloom and create a 1-acre clonal garden. It is the long-term intention that these genetics would be dispersed in Belizean cacao farming communities to increase production of fine flavor beans.
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To learn more about the MMC Program, watch our Documentary on the HCP YouTube Channel:

Interested in purchasing chocolate made from MMC Heirloom designated beans? Find a list of retailers on the HCP website here.

How can you help support Heirloom Designees around the world during these uncertain times? Click the following link to our Buy Heirloom Chocolate page on our website, where you can find a list of retailers selling chocolate made from Heirloom designated cacao beans.

With your purchase, you will enjoy extraordinary chocolate and support our Heirloom farmers.

This week we are hearing from Bertil Akesson, Owner of Akesson’s, HCP Designee #15. Located in the Sambirano Valley, in north-west Madagascar, Bejofo Estate spreads over about 2000ha.  Since 1920, it has produced world-famous aromatic cocoa, and today many of the top chefs and chocolate makers around the world use cocoa from this estate.  Bertil has answered some questions in regards to how the Pandemic is impacting his estate and its surrounding region.

Q: What challenges has the pandemic caused in your operations?
A: The main issue is that some chocolate makers cancelled orders, delayed them or simply stopped paying for what was already delivered – generating cash flow issues. Banks have reduced the amount they can lend you and the interest rate there is 30%!!! So, banks are not an option…

Logistic is also an issue. We could not export a container to Japan, because the Malagasy administration for the paperwork was closed.  The borders are closed and neither myself or my plantation Manager (he is on La Reunion Island) are able to go back there before September.
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We also produce other crops growing between the cacao trees, and our annual production of desmonium (a plant used as a “tea” for animal’s digestion – love niche products) was blocked and now lost, because the Malagasy authorities declared that local plants will save the world from COVID-19 and they forbid all exportation of plants…

Q: How has the Pandemic affected the livelihood & economy in your area?
A: The situation in Madagascar is not so bad from the sanitary point of view, with 300 cases nationally and zero casualty. The plantation still runs normally. People in the villages have not changed anything to their daily life.
People in Madagascar (and specially in our area far away from the main city), are in wonder, because you have 150 people dying of Cholera every year, another 150 of the Plague, with thousands of people infected every year (and let us not even mention other diseases) and nothing really happens, but then comes COVID-19, with zero deaths, and everything in Madagascar stop.

We can expect a big increase of theft and violence, because the main resources in our area come from tourism and hotels and 100 percent of the people in that sector have lost their jobs. Cacao represents a smaller part of the income.

Q: Are you developing new opportunities to adapt to these new challenges?
A: In June – my situation will be that I have no debt and managed to pay everyone but we need to be super cautious about the future.  I stopped every planned investment, because we simply do not know what will really be ordered after Summer. The worldwide impact will be such that I expect the consumption of chocolate will go down, but I hope I am wrong.

We are all adjusting to our new normal during this global pandemic, the operations of HCP Designees are no different.  Over the next few weeks, HCP will be highlighting HCP Designees around the world.  We will go through the challenges they have faced and overcome the past few months as a result of the Pandemic, and how you can help. (spoiler alert: you can help by eating delicious fine flavor chocolate!)
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This week we are hearing from James Carouba of Terciopelo Cacao, HCP Designee #6. Terciopelo Cacao has been in production in southern Costa Rica since March 2007.   Owner James Carouba bought the largest cacao plantation on the Pacific side of Costa Rica and expanded the plantation with Heirloom designated cacao varieties.  James has answered some questions in regards to how the Pandemic is impacting Terciopelo Cacao and its surrounding region

​Q: How has the Pandemic affected your farm operations?
A: It hasn’t changed our basic operations.  Our workers are happy and relieved to have a job and don’t feel a lot of anxiety about COVID out here in the country with extremely low population density, but it has affected other important activities. For example, we were going to get a well digger to look for water on our farm, but he pulled back because of Coronavirus fears.  This actually led to some creative solutions – we decided it would be better to develop two springs we found on the property instead.

Q: What new challenges has the pandemic caused in your operations?
A: Interesting…I have become accustomed to the changes that I didn’t think about it until you mentioned it.  There are some curfews, but since we are farmers, we go to bed before it.  And, cars are restricted depending on your license plate, but the restriction just means that you can’t drive one day a week, so it isn’t much of an inconvenience.
The local farmers markets are closed and that means that we have lost one source of income.  We normally sell our chocolate and extra rice, beans and corn at the market.  The market has developed an online ordering system that connects the farmers with customers, which is great, but doesn’t allow us to sell as much as we do when we have a physical presence at the market.

Q: What is the current status of operation in your country/region?
A: Costa Rica is still closed to tourists, the businesses that we need to operate are still open.  The lumber yards, agriculture stores, supermarkets, etc.  It can be inconvenient and cause delays in our program, but we are able to work around it.

Q: How has the Pandemic affected the livelihood & economy in your area?
A: One thing about living in an area where subsistence farming is the norm – life is hard and people work hard just to keep their head above water. So, the pandemic is not making their lives any harder than they usually are.
But, we are also close to a popular tourist area and the people who work in the tourism sector are suffering. The big tourism season is normally taking off in March. For many people, their income went from comfortable to zero overnight. The government is handing out food boxes to hard hit areas, stepping up unemployment payments, etc. But, people are pulling in their belts, planting rice and beans, harvesting the fruit that may have been left to rot in richer times, etc.

In short, it spans the gamut. Some people feel little difference and others are suffering. We don’t see the hardships here on the farm but we know it is not far away.

To fill out the picture even more… Many people who work in the tourism industry still have family, roots and connections to the countryside. So even some of the city people are coming out to the country to plant rice with their country living cousins.

Q: Are you developing new opportunities to adapt to these new challenges?
A: The first few weeks were very disorienting for everyone.  Now that we are getting used to the changes, we are looking at how to proceed with our program.  The outreach program may be remodeled if the Seed Festival will not happen this year.  If tourism starts again we will implement our plan to do tours and education, but it will be somewhat delayed.  If tourism doesn’t return, then we will work on an alternate plan to help cacao remain a sustainable crop in Costa Rica.

To stay updated with what is happening at Terciopelo Cacao, you can follow James and the Terciopelo Cacao journey on Instagram here.

Chocolate bars made from Terciopelo Cacao are available at Goodnow Farms Chocolate.

How can you help support Heirloom Designees around the world during these uncertain times? Click the following link to our Buy Heirloom Chocolate page on our website, where you can find a list of retailers selling chocolate made from Heirloom designated cacao beans.
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With your purchase, you will enjoy extraordinary chocolate and support our Heirloom farmers.