Ivory Coast is well know for its cocoa production. The Cocoa production in Ivory Coast traditionally aimed to produce large volumes to match the large demand of the internacional market. Now the prices of cocoa are volatile, farmers work to scape from insecurity by investing in quality and reaching niche markets such as organic to meet the new demands of the market.

In November 2019, Rockinsoils has been working with three large Cocoa cooperatives in Ivory Coast, training board members and technical staff -most of them also farmers- about organic crop production and soil management. This training allows cooperatives to start producing organic cocoa in small pilots and build local knowledge on organic cocoa production.

Most of the farm inputs needed for organic cocoa production are obtained and processed in the region from farm refuses and locally available rock and sea minerals. Currently, the cooperatives are starting up pilots with Young entrepreneurial farmers and test production this year. During 2 years the technical staff of the cooperatives will monitor the results. If the results are satisfactory, cooperatives will increase the technology to full scale. This project is made possible by Agriterra.

More info: ecakog