MONKEY CACAO – CLIMATE PROTECTION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE CACAO CULTIVATION
In the heart of the Colombian Amazon, there is a type of cacao that only thrives in a healthy forest. The mountain cacao Herrania purpurea does not grow on plantations, but as part of the natural ecosystem, embedded in the biodiversity of the rainforest. Its seeds are spread by animals, especially monkeys, thus connecting the plant and animal worlds.
Indigenous peoples have revered this cacao as a medicinal plant for thousands of years. It strengthens the heart, mind, and community and creates a connection to oneself and to nature. Today, global demand for cacao is steadily increasing, putting pressure on many producers to produce at ever lower prices. Fair conditions often take a back seat. Conventional cacao cultivation in the form of monocultures is also spreading in the Amazon region. This development leads to deforestation and the loss of valuable habitats. The Amazon is also under pressure from mining, land grabbing, and economic constraints, which not only severely impacts the rainforest but also the indigenous communities. This is exactly where our project comes in.
Why Monkey Cacao?
Monkey Cacao is a cooperation project between Wuasikamas Switzerland and Wuasikamas International with the indigenous communities of the Siona, Inga, and Nasa. The aim is to protect the Amazon rainforest while establishing a sustainable source of income.
Since mountain cacao only thrives in an intact biodiversity, its promotion protects valuable habitats, prevents monocultures, and preserves the rainforests in the Amazon. At the same time, the project preserves the traditional knowledge of the indigenous peoples, who have lived in harmony with nature for centuries and use its resources respectfully.
“Monkey Cacao” creates economic independence. Indigenous communities generate income through local processing, fair sales channels, and the promotion of independent value creation. Their income is not based on exploitation or the destruction of their territory.
Impact
OUR APPROACH
We support the indigenous communities of the Siona, Inga, and Nasa in their transition from conventional cacao farming to mountain cacao. Our work is grounded in the traditional knowledge of these communities and their respectful, balanced relationship with the Amazon rainforest. All decisions are made collectively and are based on respect for the earth, which is understood as a living being. We combine this knowledge with insights from Western science. To this end, we collaborate with universities and specialist institutions in Switzerland.
​
We also support communities in establishing fair and sustainable value chains, from production and processing to sales and access to markets in Colombia, Switzerland, and Europe.
"Through the enjoyment of a cup of medicinal cacao, we invite you to rejoice and celebrate the ancestral Andean-Amazonian wisdom. This simple yet profound act seeks a return to the origin through connection with nature—protecting the territory, supporting communities to live in dignity, and relearning how to coexist on this planet.
From the restoration of this bond between the human and the more-than-human, all beings are enriched in this shared existence.
Hernando Chindoy Chindoy
