Colombia at Chocoa Amsterdam: Driving the Transformation of the Cocoa Sector

13 projects from the C+C program in the regions of Tolima, Antioquia and Santander attended the fair for the first time, generating 31 business expectations with the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium and France and spot business for USD $76,920 with 12 tons of cocoa. Agroguamal association, winner of the tenth edition of the Colombian Golden Cacao Contest, assured its presence at the fair through its representative, Germán Parra. This association is part of the WORKAKAO cooperative, which was awarded for having the best cocoa in the world in the Cacao of Excellence Contest. This achievement consolidates the efforts of Swiss cooperation in Colombia to promote fine flavor and aroma cocoas.

Knowledge of international markets, key to competing

The Swiss Import Promotion Program (SIPPO) supported BSOs and Swiss cooperation projects, with tools to effectively access the European market and familiarized participants with the trends and requirements of sustainable cocoa market, with talks on quality and standards of cocoa in Europe, and with a complete commercial agenda with the main cocoa buyers present at the fair, etc. He also participated in the sixth edition of the European Markets Academy (EMA), in the regular courses for cocoa producers and in the visit to the company Royal Duyvis Wiener, a leading manufacturer of industrial solutions for the processing of cocoa, chocolate, nuts and seeds.

Colombia mas Competitiva Program supported the participation in the fair of the organizations benefiting from its cocoa projects: ASOPEP, Chocolate Colombia, ASOCOVAL, Ríos de Chocolate, Cooperativa Riqueza Ancestral, Agroindustriales de Ancestros-SIXCOCOA, BelMin SAS-Asocapayari, Chamber of Commerce of Ibagué , Chamber of Commerce of Bucaramanga, COOAGROSAN, Chamber of Commerce of Barrancabermeja, Juan Carlos Rincón Santamaría-El Guadual and Fundación Carlota.

Colombian participants expressed their satisfaction with the development of the fair and recognized the valuable support provided by Swisscontact and  associated programs. Key areas for future collaborations were identified, including strengthening capacities, exploring new markets, and improving quality and commercialization processes for Colombian cocoa.

Swisscontact and Fundación Progreso join forces to promote sustainability in Colombia's cocoa landscapes

Chocoa became a platform to unite synergies in search of the sustainable development of cocoa landscapes in Colombia. Along these lines, Swisscontact and the Fundación Progreso sealed an alliance with the objective of providing cocoa organizations with additional tools and support to promote sustainability and economic growth in local communities, through access to financing. This effort will be realized through Paisajes + Sostenibles project, which will promote responsible and environmentally friendly agricultural practices in the regions of Urabá and Magdalena Medio.

This alliance reflects the commitment of both organizations to a sustainable and prosperous future for the cocoa sector in Colombia. The signing event was attended by the Colombian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Carolina Olarte-Bácares, the director of Fundación Progreso, Anneke Goede van Donselaar, the director of the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO), Christian Robin and the Director of Swisscontact Colombia, Amalia Vásquez. In addition, there was the participation of Weimar Martinez from the National Federation of Cocoa Growers and María del Campo, who personifies the drive, spirit and resilience of the cocoa growing women of Colombia.

In summary, Chocoa 2024 marked a milestone in promoting environmental sustainability and innovation in the cocoa sector, reaffirming the commitment of Swisscontact and its allies to sustainable development and economic growth in Colombia's cocoa communities.