Sharing a vision: youth, women and the future of fine flavor cacao

In Peru, inclusive dialogues inspire and provide resources for young people and women to pursue careers cultivating high-quality varieties of cacao.

n most cacao growing regions of Peru, cacao farming isn’t widely considered a viable option among young men and women. In fact, a recent study by the Fine Flavor Cacao Project (FFC) shows that the average age of cacao farmers is 56/54 (men/women) in the Piura department, on the dry coast in northwestern Peru; and 56/52 in La Convencion, Cuzco department in the humid tropics of southeastern Peru —home to cacao Blanco de Piura and cacao Chuncho, respectively. As a result, the FFC project recognized the need to address inter-generational succession alongside its mission of women and youth inclusion across the fine flavor cacao value chain. To this end, the FFC project began a series of dialogues with local youth to identify training and mentorship needs that focus on the role of these groups in the future of fine flavor cacao.