Peru

Peru

This organic and Fairtrade cocoa is grown by the Awajún along the banks of the Cenepa and Rio Santiago rivers in the Amazon rainforest. They are members of the NorAndino cooperative, an organisation with approximately 5000 members including 1800 cocoa farmers, spread across northern Peru, both on the coastal side and the Amazon side.

We are also assisting NorAndino with a special project. They process part of the cocoa harvest in their own cocoa factory. The factory in Peru is bigger than the one in Amsterdam, with a modern production line for high-quality organic and Fairtrade cocoa mass. In the future, they will also be able to make their own chocolate.

Julio Peña Cordoba from Bajo Charanal, Piura, Peru:
'Because we have our own modern chocolate factory, for the first time we - as cocoa farmers - can also become chocolate makers. That way, we are building a stronger position in the cocoa industry. That gives us great opportunities for the future.

Peru has many communities living in the Amazon rainforest and one of the largest groups is the 'Awajún' with a population of around 65,000. They live from slash-and-burn agriculture and control large areas of the rainforest. As the population increases, the pressure on the rainforest increases and other sources of income are important for the survival of their way of life.

Cocoa is a perfect alternative here; it requires shade trees and can be planted in combination with other crops. It reduces the need for slash-and-burn agriculture, ensuring the survival of the rainforest.