Innovative Training in Cocoa Agroforestry : The Farmer Field Schools of Nicaragua

The World Bank, with the financial
support of the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF), is
implementing the Alternative Indigenous and Afro-Descendants
and Agroforestry Project (COCOA-RAAN) in the indigenous and
Afro-descended (Miskito) regions of Nicaragua. The
implementing agency, the Agro-forestry coordinating
association of indigenous peoples and farmers, is a regional
Non government Organization (NGO) 'focused on seeking
local socio-productive integration, promoting ecodevelopment
and community empowerment.' The project's
objective is to strengthen the capacity of indigenous,
Miskito, and mestizo organizations to produce and market
quality cocoa in an economically and environmentally
sustainable manner. The project is designed to transform the
environmentally damaging practices of cocoa agriculture to
conserve the biodiversity, regenerate and sustainably manage
forest resources, and improve farmers' livelihoods.
Activities include interventions to: i) develop integrated
management systems for agro-forestry on at least 1,000 cocoa
small farmers; ii) improve marketing to international fair
trade and sustainable chocolate companies; and iii)
strengthen the social, commercial and environmental
management capacity of beneficiaries. To reach the
beneficiary community-based organizations and cooperatives,
a project-sponsored fund finances subprojects of up to US$25,000.