Local Partners

INIAP (Instituto Nacional de Investigacion Agro-Pecuaria):
A farmer-driven research project is being implemented with the national cocoa research station, INIAP, to test the efficacy of biocontrol agents against the primary diseases that damage or destroy as much as 50 percent of cocoa production in Ecuador. This effort builds on years of international research conducted in various research stations and supported by USDA's Agricultural Research Service. In addition, INIAP will provide the germplasm for the clonal gardens that will be established with farmers associations working with the SUCCESS Alliance project.

FECCHE (Federación de Centros Chachi de Esmeraldas):
The Chachi are an indigenous people who are looking to establish an entrepreneurial system for the commercialization of cocoa as well as other products. Through this process, they want to create stable and reliable markets through direct negotiations with exporters and foreign buyers, and they also want to encourage sustainable entrepreneurs, associated in groups or committees, with the skills to manage initiatives for future projects. FECCHE member farmers will also participate in farmer field schools.

UNOCACE (Unión de Organizaciones Campesinas Cacaoteras):
UNOCACE is an organization that brings together 17 farmers associations and offers technical assistance, tree nurseries and commercialization opportunities. UNOCACE has a contract with a French chocolate company, which purchases organic certified cocoa from 12 of the 17 associations, and it would like to expand commercial opportunities to more of their 1,000 members. UNOCACE also manages certified vegetative materials and plans on increasing the number of clonal gardens managed by its member associations. UNOCACE farmers will also participate in farmer field schools through the SUCCESS Alliance project.