Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agriculture

Canadians explore how their love for chocolate can support farming communities

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

On April 5, 2017 the IICA Delegation in Canada and the Embassy of Peru in Canada hosted an event on “Cacao production in the Americas – A rewarding path to trade and development”. 

  Cacao in the Americas – A rewarding path to trade & development. 

The event showcased investment, trade and development opportunities in Peru’s cacao sector and raised awareness of the role of cacao production and processing in rural livelihoods. 

The event was attended by 75 participants representing Canadian chocolate businesses, investors, government officials supporting trade and international development, and civil society organizations.  The occasion highlighted the cacao value chain, from plants to cocoa beans to chocolate bars, a chain that provides opportunities for trade and development in cacao producing countries such as Peru. 

Peru is one of the main countries of origin of cacao and home to 60% of cacao varieties in the world. A delegation of six Peruvian companies and cooperatives showcased their products and discussed trade and investment prospects with Canadian companies.  An official of the Ministry of Agriculture in Peru provided a presentation to participants on the sector, highlighting the quality and special characteristics of the Peruvian product.

Canada is among the largest consumers of chocolate in the world. The average consumption is 6.4 kg per year or 160 bars of chocolate per year per person which makes us the ninth largest consumer of chocolate in the world, one kilo more than the United States.

The first part of the April 5th event consisted of dynamic presentations related to the theme, including a video on the “chocolate story” – a story highlighting the impact of cacao production and processing on developing agricultural communities in Latin America, a presentation the cacao sector in Peru, and an overview on the Canadian market for cacao products.   Participants commented on the usefulness of the presentations and the event for facilitating business opportunities and addressing any barriers in trade.  

In the second part of the event, participants were able to network with other participants and with the members of the delegation while they enjoyed refreshments and visited the various “mini expo” tables.  All Peruvian companies set up displays with their products and promotional information on their organizations.  This opportunity supported direct dialogue between Peruvian producers and Canadian stakeholders such as financial services providers, importers, distributors and chocolatiers.

IICA’S Delegation in Canada is currently sponsoring a cacao project aimed at stimulating income opportunities for women in cacao processing by enhancing their ability to access Canadian niche markets including markets such those linked to “Bean to Bar”, organic, direct-sourced and sustainable production systems.  This special event provided an opportunity to highlight IICA’s work and further engage Canadian stakeholders on the project.

Share

Related news​

En el diálogo el Director General del IICA, Manuel Otero, instó a las personas jóvenes a ser agentes de cambio, jerarquizar la agricultura y fortalecer la autoestima del sector agropecuario, por su rol clave para el desarrollo sostenible de los países de la región.

San José, Costa Rica

October 24, 2025

Youth are key to driving the transformation of agriculture across the hemisphere, says IICA Director General at a meeting with participants of the AgriTalent Program of the Americas

Manuel Otero emphasized the need to promote a new narrative for regional agriculture—one that elevates its standing and recognizes its contribution to the food security of the countries.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

El Presidente chileno, Gabriel Boric, durante la X Semana de la Energía que transcurrió en Santiago.

Santiago

October 23, 2025

IICA and the CPBIO highlight the strategic role of agriculture and biofuels at the Tenth Energy Week in Chile

Organized by the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), the participants in the event included His Excellency the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric. The discussions focused on the technical, economic and regulatory challenges involved in accelerating the decarbonization of transportation in the Americas, especially in the aviation sector.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Diapositiva con el título ‘Conclusiones clave’ a la izquierda y cuatro mensajes en recuadros de colores: ‘SAIA moderno = sistema agroalimentario resiliente’, ‘Cooperación público-privada es clave’, ‘Tecnología transforma la gestión sanitaria’ e ‘Invertir hoy asegura el futuro’. A la derecha, dos personas en traje formal sentadas en entornos profesionales.

San José, Costa Rica

October 23, 2025

IICA presents the updated PVS, a key tool to strengthen countries’ agricultural health services and ensure safe food trade

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has unveiled the updated version of a key tool designed to modernize and strengthen agricultural health and food safety services across the Americas—an initiative aimed at safeguarding the region’s sanitary and phytosanitary status, ensuring safe food trade, protecting public health, preventing economic losses and driving rural development.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins