Welcome!

Presentation of a
Theory of Change for Sustainable
Cacao in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Seminar
Towards Sustainable Cacao

Oliver Carrillo
Map of Ecuador from Nepstad et al., (2019).
Graphic 1 Price Differentiation by Quality Level in Ecuador from Rios et al. (2017)
Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Focus Area: Amazon Region of Ecuador

• Lower productivity (Caicedo-Vargas et al., 2022)

• Biodiversity Hotspot and high deforestation rate (Laoiza et al., 2015)

• Poverty (Nepstad et al., 2019)

• Is agroforestry an alternative for cacao farmers to improve
livelihoods?
Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Cacao Plant varieties

• Trade-offs in traits: yield, resistances, flavour

• CCN-51 high yielding and resistant

• Nacional is a fine flavour variety (Rios et al., 2017)

• Breeding for desirable traits (MAE, 2017)

Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Cacao Plant varieties

• Government Projects support Transition to Nacional (MAE, 2017)

• breeding new varieties as well as conservation of genetic diversity (Tscharntke et al.,

2022)

 co-cultivation  better CCN-51 flavour

• But fine flavour segment is mostly unprofitable (Villacis et al., 2022)

Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Post-harvest practices

• Humid conditions in Amazon

• Increase bean quality (Sanchez-Capa et al., 2022)

• Most impact on revenue (Villacis et al., 2022)

Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Post-harvest practices

• Most impact on price irrespective of variety (Villacis et al., 2022)

• Pre-drying and fermentation

• Jute Sacks, Wooden Boxes and others (Burbano-Cachiguango et al., 2022)
Component Variables Activities Short-term Long-term Impacts Sources
Outcome Outcome

Resistances Fine flavour premiums

Breeding + yields +
Flavour Rios et al.,
2017; Melo et
Cacao Plant Provisioning Possible
al., 2013
yield loss
Cacao Variety
More fine
flavour
Infrastructure e.g.
Cacao Above
Stock centers
Average Sustainable
prices for livelihoods
Ecu Cacao
Pre-drying and
Post-Harvest fermenting methods Villacis et al.,
Practices Higher bargaining 2022;
Increase in power Sanchez-Capa
Quality of et al., 2022;
Beans Burbano-
More efficient Cachiguango
transport, less Increased et al., 2022
intermediaries income
Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador

• Agroforestry

• Higher over-all yield, Biodiversity (Niether et al., 2020)

• carbon sequestration (Nepstad et a., 2019)

• Traditional knowledge (Castañeda-Ccori et al., 2020)

• Agroforestry
• Higher over-all yield (Niether et al., 201X)
• carbon sequestration (Nepstad et a., 2019)
• Traditional knowledge
• Cacao Market
• Highly volatile prices and low participation in cooperatives (

Table of Multi-strata agroforestry from Jarret et al. (2017)

Illustration from Orozco-Aguilar et al., 2021
Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Agroforestry

• Often practiced unintentionally (Laoiza et al., 2015)

• Mainly Subsistence (Castañeda-Ccori et al., 2020)

• Tourism (Santafe-Troncoso and Loring, 2021)

Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Cacao Market

• Highly volatile prices

• low participation in cooperatives (Purcel, 2017)

• Certification and direct trade schemes (Melo and Hollander, 2013)

Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in
the Amazon of Ecuador
• Cacao Market

• Highly volatile prices

• low participation in cooperatives (Purcel, 2017)

• Certification and direct trade schemes (Melo and Hollander, 2013)

Graphic 2 Approximate distribution of income from Rios et al. (2017)

 Activities Short-term Long-term Impacts Sources
Component Variables
Outcome Outcome
Niether et
Cultivation sustainable al., 2020;
management Ecosystems and Burgoa,
Cultivation Disease prevention Biodiversity Small yield 2020
Systems and fertilization loss

Agroforestry Sustainable
Stable yields livelihoods
More secure of Cacao and
subsistence Co-Crops
Strengthen Increased/
Market Cooperatives diversified
and local income
manufactures More efficient Purcell, 2018;
transport, less Tscharntke et
intermediaries Higher bargaining Food al., 2022;
power, better sovereignty Melo et al.,
marketing, 2013
certification
Other Variables
• REDD+ Implementation Plan for cacao
•  Monitoring for verification necessary (Nepstad et al., 2019)

• Certification and direct trading schemes

• Market components / outcomes (Melo et al., 2015)
• Costs vs. Benefits (Rios et al., 2017)

• Cadmium limits (Vanderschueren et al., 2020)

Other Variables
• Rural and indigenous land-tenure (Laoiza et al., 2015)

• Off-farm work prefered and stable revenue (Castañeda-Ccori et al., 2020; Mantuano, 2023 )

• Use of bi-products (Guirlanda et al., 2021)

 Theory of Change for sustainable Cacao in the Amazon of
Ecuador
Component Variables Activities Sources
/Pathway Short-term Long-term Impacts
Breeding Outcome Outcome
Rios et al.,
Cacao Plant Provisioning More fine Fine flavour premiums 2017; Melo et
Cacao Variety Small yield
flavour al., 2013
Pre-drying and loss
Cacao More Shade
fermenting methods Villacis et al.,
Infrastructure e.g. Above Sustainable 2022;
Post-Harvest
Stock centers Increase in Average livelihoods Sanchez-Capa
Practices
-Risk? & Pre-Conditions

Quality of prices for et al., 2022;

Cultivation Beans Cacao Burbano-
management Cachiguango
Cultivation sustainable et al., 2022
System Disease prevention Increased
Ecosystems and
and fertilization income Niether et
Biodiversity
al., 2020;
Market Agroforestry Burgoa,
More secure Stable yields
subsistence of Cacao and 2020
Food
Strengthen Co-Crops
Off-farm work sovereignty Purcell, 2018;
Cooperatives More efficient
Risk? and local transport, less Tscharntke et
Higher bargaining
Tourism manufactures intermediaries al., 2022;
power, better Certification, Melo et al.,
marketing PES 2013
Schools and centers for innovation, sustainable practices
Conclusion
• Is Agroforestry a sustainable alternative for cacao farmers?

• Cacao agroforestry alone is not enough  cultivation management

• Ecological and Social benefits

Thank you!
• Questions?
 Bibliography
Burbano-Cachiguango, R. A., Abreu-Naranjo, R., Caicedo-Vargas, C. E., Ramírez-Romero, C. A., Calero-Cárdenas, A. S., Llumiquinga-Marcillo, E. M., &
Ruiz-Urigüen, M. (2022). Effect of a semi-automated fermentation system on the physical and chemical characteristics of Theobroma cacao L. grown in
the northern Ecuadorian Amazon. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-022-01620-x
Burgoa, G. I. (2020). METHODS AND APPROACHES FOR SCALING-UP THE POSITIVE BENEFITS OF CACAO AGROFORESTRY IN ECUADOR.
Caicedo-Vargas, C., Pérez-Neira, D., Abad-González, J., & Gallar, D. (2022). Assessment of the environmental impact and economic performance of
cacao agroforestry systems in the Ecuadorian Amazon region: An LCA approach. Science of the Total Environment, 849.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157795
Castañeda-Ccori, J., Bilhaut, A. G., Mazé, A., & Fernández-Manjarrés, J. (2020). Unveiling Cacao agroforestry sustainability through the socio-ecological
systems diagnostic framework: The case of four Amazonian rural communities in Ecuador. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(15).
https://doi.org/10.3390/SU12155934
Guirlanda, C. P., da Silva, G. G., & Takahashi, J. A. (2021). Cocoa honey: Agro-industrial waste or underutilized cocoa by-product? In Future Foods (Vol.
4). Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fufo.2021.100061
Jarrett, C., Cummins, I., & Logan-Hines, E. (2017). Adapting Indigenous Agroforestry Systems for Integrative Landscape Management and Sustainable
Supply Chain Development in Napo, Ecuador. In F. Montagnini (Ed.), Integrating Landscapes: Agroforestry for Biodiversity Conservation and Food
Sovereignty. Advances in Agroforestry (Vol. 12, pp. 283–309). Loaiza, T., Nehren, U., & Gerold, G. (2015). REDD+ and incentives: An analysis of income
generation in forest-dependent communities of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, Ecuador. Applied Geography, 62, 225–236.
Mantuano, Mishell (2023, January 10). Napo en emergencia ambiental por las consecuencias de la minería legal e ilegal. wambra medio
comunitario. https://wambra.ec/napo-emergencia-ambiental-consecuencias-mineria/. (Accessed: January 23 2023).
Melo, C. J., & Hollander, G. M. (2013). Unsustainable development: Alternative food networks and the Ecuadorian Federation of Cocoa Producers,
1995-2010. Journal of Rural Studies, 32, 251–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2013.07.004
 Bibliography
Ministerio del Medio Ambiente de Ecuador MAE. (2017). Plan de Implementación de Medidas y Acciones REDD+ en cacao.
Nepstad, D., Ardila, J. P., de los Angeles Barrionuevo, M., Garzon, A., Rojas, J. G., Vargas, R., Busch, J., & Garland, B. E. (2019). Evaluacion
del Impacto de politicas publicas destinadas a reducir deforestacion y degradacion.
Niether, W., Jacobi, J., Blaser, W. J., Andres, C., & Armengot, L. (2020). Cocoa agroforestry systems versus monocultures: A multi-
dimensional meta-analysis. Environmental Research Letters, 15(10). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abb053
Purcell, T. F. (2018). ‘Hot chocolate’: financialized global value chains and cocoa production in Ecuador. Journal of Peasant Studies, 45(5–
6), 904–926. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2018.1446000
Ríos, F., Ruiz, A., Lecaro, J., & Rehpani C. (2017). Country Strategies for the specialty cocoa market.
Sanchez-Capa, M., Viteri-Sanchez, S., Burbano-Cachiguango, A., Abril-Donoso, M., Vargas-Tierras, T., Suarez-Cedillo, S., & Mestanza-
Ramón, C. (2022). New Characteristics in the Fermentation Process of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) “Super Árbol” in La Joya de los Sachas,
Ecuador. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(13). Santafe-Troncoso, V., & Loring, P. A. (2021). Indigenous food sovereignty and tourism: the
Chakra Route in the Amazon region of Ecuador. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(2–3), 391–410. Tscharntke, T., Ocampo‐Ariza, C.,
Vansynghel, J., Ivañez‐Ballesteros, B., Aycart, P., Rodriguez, L., Ramirez, M., Steffan‐Dewenter, I., Maas, B., & Thomas, E. (2022). Socio‐
ecological benefits of fine‐flavor cacao in its center of origin. Conservation Letters. Vanderschueren, R., de Mesmaeker, V., Mounicou, S.,
Isaure, M. P., Doelsch, E., Montalvo, D., Delcour, J. A., Chavez, E., & Smolders, E. (2020). The impact of fermentation on the distribution of
cadmium in cacao beans. Food Research International, Villacis, A. H., Alwang, J. R., Barrera, V., & Dominguez, J. (2022). Prices, specialty
varieties, and postharvest practices: Insights from cacao value chains in Ecuador. Agribusiness, 38(2), 426–458.
https://doi.org/10.1002/agr.21730
List of Figures
Map from Nepstad, D., Ardila, J. P., de los Angeles Barrionuevo, M., Garzon, A., Rojas, J. G., Vargas, R., Busch, J., & Garland, B.
E. (2019). Evaluacion del Impacto de politicas publicas destinadas a reducir deforestacion y degradacion.
Graphic 1 & 2 from Ríos, F., Ruiz, A., Lecaro, J., & Rehpani C. (2017). Country Strategies for the specialty cocoa market.
Table from Jarrett, C., Cummins, I., & Logan-Hines, E. (2017). Adapting Indigenous Agroforestry Systems for Integrative Landscape
Management and Sustainable Supply Chain Development in Napo, Ecuador. In F. Montagnini (Ed.), Integrating Landscapes:
Agroforestry for Biodiversity Conservation and Food Sovereignty. Advances in Agroforestry (Vol. 12, pp. 283–309).
Illustration from Orozco-Aguilar, L., López-Sampson, A., Leandro-Muñoz, M. E., Robiglio, V., Reyes, M., Bordeaux, M.,
Sepúlveda, N., & Somarriba, E. (2021). Elucidating Pathways and Discourses Linking Cocoa Cultivation to Deforestation,
Reforestation, and Tree Cover Change in Nicaragua and Peru. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.635779
Fotographs from author