Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agricultural chains Agricultural Health Food safety Knowledge management

Peru’s cocoa sector has new tool to drive crop safety and promote exports

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

In Peru, approximately 100,000 families participate in cocoa production, which in 2021 generated exports worth USD 300 million.

La nueva herramienta está dirigida a extensionistas, asistentes técnicos del cultivo, productores y otros actores interesados.
<em>The new tool is intended for use by extension workers, technical assistants, farmers and other interested parties.</em>

Lima, 12 December 2022 (IICA). Peru’s cocoa sector has a new technical instrument to help ensure crop safety and drive the sustainability of exports of cocoa and its derivatives.

Specifically, the “Manual of Good Agricultural Practices for Cocoa” was developed by the National Agricultural Health Service (SENASA), the National Institute of Agricultural Innovation (INIA) and the Directorate General of Agricultural Development and Agroecology (DGDAA)—three entities under the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation—along with the technical coordination of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

The handbook, available at https://repositorio.iica.int/handle/11324/21346, comprises 84 pages and addresses critical issues and compliance criteria with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), which were developed as a strategy for the primary production of safe foods with respect for the environment and the health and safety of workers.

The document includes aspects to help improve knowledge of cocoa pests and their integrated management, and provides recommendations for mitigating cadmium in cocoa crops, as well as COVID-19 prevention measures.

It was developed in consultation with stakeholders across the cocoa chain, including the public and private sectors and cooperatives to validate training needs.

The new tool is intended for use by extension workers, technical assistants, farmers and other interested parties.

“We hope this public good contributes to the well-being of cocoa farmers, in addition to their families and communities in rural territories”, expressed Erika Soto, Technology, Innovation, Agricultural Health and Food Safety Specialist at the IICA Delegation in Peru.

The manual supplements a free online course offered last year with the participation of 26 technical assistants from the cocoa-producing regions of Junín, Pasco, Huánuco, Amazonas, San Martín, Piura and Cajamarca, from cocoa cooperatives, INIA, the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (DEVIDA) and the project Maximizing Opportunities in Coffee and Cocoa in the Americas (MOCCA).

Peru is internationally recognized as an exporter of fine-aroma cocoa. The crop is produced across 181,000 hectares in 16 of Peru’s 24 regions.

With a production of 160,000 tons, it was declared National Natural Heritage in 2010, and involves 100,000 families—mainly family farmers—and generates 13 million salaries per year and more than USD 300 million in exports, according to 2021 data from MINAGRI.

More information:
Erika Soto, Technology, Innovation, Agricultural Health and Food Safety Specialist at the IICA Delegation in Peru. 
erika.soto@iica.int

 

 

Share

Related news​

San Jose

April 2, 2025

The Government of Uruguay announces its nomination of former Minister of Agriculture, Fernando Mattos, for the post of Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

The official announcement was made in Uruguay, following a meeting between the country’s President Yamandú Orsi; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mario Lubetkin; the Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Alfredo Fratti, and former Minister Mattos.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San Salvador

April 1, 2025

IICA and its partners launch a technical guide that will play a critical role in boosting the competitiveness and sustainability of the Central American dairy sector

This valuable document, which will be made available to the countries, will provide general guidelines to strengthen the design and implementation of national risk-based surveillance programs for residue and contaminants in raw milk.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

March 31, 2025

President of the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange visits IICA headquarters in Costa Rica and highlights joint priorities for strengthening the agricultural sector

The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange and IICA have been developing four areas of collaboration focused on knowledge exchange, sharing experiences, and generating data and indicators that support evidence-based policymaking and decision-making processes.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins