Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agricultural chains

Sharing experiences that drive the competitiveness of cocoa and its subproducts

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The objective of the event was to share experiences related to policies that promote the competitiveness of cocoa, as well as to discuss the different commercial approaches developed by the participating countries.

Stakeholders representing the cocoa value chain of nine countries,  Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Peru attended the event “Sharing experiences that drive the competitiveness of cocoa and its subproducts” organized by IICA  under the “Competitiveness and Sustainability of Agricultural Chains” Flagship Project (FP) in Colombia during the month of September. 

The objective of the event was to share experiences related to policies that promote the competitiveness of cocoa, as well as to discuss the different commercial approaches developed by the participating countries. The event also sought to identify and conduct a more profound analysis of possible joint actions that could be undertaken to face challenges, as well as opportunities and to develop strategies for marketing cocoa and its subproducts in a sustained manner over time.

The first session, entitled “Public policies and institutional frameworks that promote the competitiveness and sustainability of the cocoa chain,” focused on analyzing specific experiences related to Colombia’s Quota for Cocoa Promotion, National Cocoa Fund, National Council of Cocoa Farmers, and National Fund for Stabilization of Cocoa Prices. The analysis also included experiences from Honduras and the Dominican Republic with the Agreement on the Competitiveness of the Cocoa Chain and the National Cocoa Committee, respectively.

The first session was followed by an analysis of the evolution, situation and outlook for the cocoa-growing sector in Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Peru. During the third session, participants worked in groups, analyzing challenges, opportunities, strategies and mechanisms discussed in earlier sessions that could contribute to improving the competitiveness and sustainability of cocoa and its subproducts. Lastly, topics and successful experiences that could be shared among participants with IICA’s support were identified, such as methods for strengthening the chain’s institutional framework, strengthening business and associative capabilities of small and medium-scale producers; the impact and implementation of technical standards in trade; and methodologies for identifying, preserving and using native genetic material. 

For more information, please contact: daniel.rodriguez@iica.int

 

*This post appears in the IICA Delegation in the USA Newsletter – September – December 2017

 

Share

Related news​

Santa Fé, Darién, Panamá

September 4, 2025

Coordination between IICA and Panamanian and U.S. government authorities bolsters the fight against New World screwworm in Central America and Mexico

As part of the efforts to curb the spread of the New World screwworm (NWS), a current health threat in Central America and Mexico, the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) of Panama, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG) organized a meeting with livestock farmers in the city of Santa Fé de Darién to strengthen health surveillance and better protect local livestock production.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

El Director General del IICA, Manuel Otero, reafirmó en la inauguración de Biohélice 2025 el compromiso del Instituto con la bioeconomía como eje estratégico para transformar el agro y revitalizar los territorios rurales. En el acto lo acompañaron la Directora General de CINDE, Marianela Urgellés; el Rector de la UNA, Jorge Herrera; y el presidente de CRBiomed, Álvaro Peralta.

San Jose, Costa Rica

September 3, 2025

Specialists and partners at a meeting spearheaded by IICA view the bioeconomy as essential in positioning Costa Rica and the Americas as leaders in sustainability and production transformation

The bioeconomy specialists were participating in Biohélice 2025, an event organized by Costa Rica’s Universidad Nacional, the CRBiomed association and IICA, which brought together more than 130 participants with an interest in innovation and bioeconomy.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Alagoas, Brasil

September 1, 2025

Eliane Faria de Souza, a fisherwoman from Northeastern Brazil combining old traditions with innovative ideas to protect the environment, is named an IICA Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Eliane works with other women in the region to transform polluting waste substances into organic fertilizer.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins