El Efecto Cacao: Reporte Trimestral No.6

This initiative is supported by USAID and involves a partnership between Luker Chocolate, Fundación Luker, Enel-Emgesa, Fundación Saldarriaga Concha FSC, Universidad EAFIT, and Universidad Autónoma de Manizales. TCE aims to improve the productivity of small cocoa producers, enabling them to earn higher incomes, find a legitimate path out of poverty, and achieve their life goals. To achieve this, TCE focuses on enhancing the technical, commercial, and administrative skills of cocoa producer associations, thereby increasing their productivity and competitiveness. This, in turn, will enable them to support the development of small producers. The activity also seeks to improve the competences of the population in the Cocoa Cluster in Necoclí and Tumaco through training programs for children, young people, and adults (including women and social leaders) in academic, socio-emotional, and resilience skills. This will help to close the cycle of improving socio-economic conditions in the community. During the period from April to June 2020, TCE continued its activities in the 4 zones of intervention of the Alliance, adapting and progressing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Key achievements include: Increased cacao crop productivity, with a focus on improving the quality and quantity of cocoa production. This was achieved through the delivery of 600 biosafety kits, 761 technical assistance visits to producer partner farms, and the provision of cocoa seedlings for 159 hectares of cocoa. Strengthened associations of cacao producers, with a focus on improving their organizational capacity and competitiveness. This was achieved through the inclusion of 4 new associations in the organizational strengthening processes, the continuation of virtual strengthening processes for 14 associations, and the design of a Social Entrepreneurship Kit with a gender focus. Improved competences of the population in the Cocoa Cluster in Necoclí and Tumaco, with a focus on enhancing their academic, socio-emotional, and resilience skills. This was achieved through the delivery of educational material to children and young people, the participation of teachers in virtual training, and the continuation of a certificate program in psycho-affective development, education in emotional and resilience skills. Cross-cutting activities, including the initiation of a communications strategy against COVID-19, the design and operation of biosafety protocols against COVID-19, and the closure of the quarter without security incidents in the areas. The implementation of these activities has contributed to the improvement of living conditions for cocoa producers and their communities, and has helped to strengthen the cocoa production chain in the region.