Despite a long tradition of cocoa cultivation in Ecuador, it is barely viable there now. This is due to the problematic cultivation methods in monocultures. These prevent the cultivation of food crops, deplete the soil and play a key role in climate change, which is increasingly manifesting in extreme weather events such as excessive moisture or drought – conditions that make plants more susceptible to disease. In their plight, farming families clear areas of intact rainforest. The FINCA project was launched in 2016 to counteract this alarming development. Alongside HALBA, the project involves the farmers’ organisation Unión de Organizaciones Campesinas Cacaoteras (UNOCACE), German International Development Agency (GIZ), Coop, Ecotop, South Pole and WWF Switzerland.
The FINCA project promotes sustainable cocoa cultivation through dynamic agroforestry (DAF) and stores CO2 as a contribution to climate protection, certified until 2024 according to the «Gold Standard», the strictest standard for climate protection projects. Through the cultivation of fruit trees and annual food crops, the project contributes to food security and helps the farmers minimise their risk. The project promotes the development of additional value chains - for example for manioc, limes, cooking bananas and fruit bananas - so that the farmers can sell the additional food they grow alongside their self-sufficiency. Currently, 493 UNOCACE cocoa farmers are tending their plots in DAF conditions. UNOCACE employs 13 agroforestry coaches and one coordinator who have received intensive training within the scope of the project and now educate other local farmers.
The project also seeks to furnish young locals in various agricultural professions (dynamic agroforestry, tree care, cocoa plant grafting, organic and fairtrade inspections, etc.) and to strengthen the local organization UNOCACE so that it can continue the project independently
