Sustainable Cocoa Sourcing in Peru

A Collaborative Effort for Sustainable Cocoa Sourcing

At the Salon del Cacao y Chocolate in Lima, we proudly joined our partners to launch the "Sustainable Cocoa Sourcing Landscapes in Peru" project. Led by the NGO Helvetas and co-funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) through the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa, this project is a collaborative effort to transform the cocoa landscapes in the San Martin region of Peru.

The goals of this project - promoting deforestation-free cocoa production, enhancing livelihoods, and fostering sustainable landscape management - require a multi-stakeholder approach. No single entity can address the complex challenges of deforestation, climate change, and socio-economic disparities alone. By bringing together private companies, local cooperatives, NGOs, and government entities, the project leverages diverse expertise and resources to create lasting, systemic change in the region. Activities of the project include among others:

1. Facilitation of the development of annual landscape action plans based by local round tables.

2.  Support relevant landscape actors in applying digital spatial monitoring tools for zero deforestation in coordination with the national level.

3. Feasability study for a reginal carbon project

4. Training of trainers on good production practices and technological packages that have been validated during the first project phase

5. Provide training and coaching for the introduction of a digital internal control systems

6. Software development and implementation for first mile traceability

Why Stella Bernrain is Involved

At Stella Bernrain, we recognize the significant sustainability challenges facing the cocoa industry, including deforestation and the need for sustainable landscape development. These issues are too large for any one company to tackle alone. However, by contributing to multi-stakeholder initiatives like this project, we can be part of the solution.

Our involvement in this project is twofold: financial support and the opportunity to learn from its results. We aim to gain access to the tools and structures developed within the project to enhance our sustainability efforts. Additionally, this project complements our ongoing work in the region with our partner Norandino, where we focus on agroforestry and cocoa quality improvement with local farmers. This alignment makes our participation in the project particularly meaningful, as it strengthens our overall impact in the region.

Field Trip to San Martin and Launch Event in Lima

In the lead-up to the project launch, our sustainability manager Manuel Holzer, along with other partners, visited key stakeholders in the San Martin region. The field trip included visits to agroforestry systems, fertilizer production facilities, and post-harvest processing plants. These visits provided valuable insights into local practices and the current challenges of farmers and their organizations.

The Swiss Ambassador to Peru joined the trip, highlighting the importance of Swiss involvement in promoting sustainable cocoa supply chains. The project was officially launched during the Salon del Cacao y Chocolate in Lima, where Manuel Holzer participated in a panel to discuss on the value of such multi stakeholder projects in cocoa sector.

Author: 
Manuel Holzer
Head of Sustainability