The Socioeconomic Development of our Region continues despite the COVID19 Pandemic

Their commitment to the protection of Fine cacao in their region and the farmer goes beyond buying at fair prices it extends to technical and social support, in order to ensure the stability and economic development of the field.  

During the first months of the pandemic, Peru was one of the most affected countries, with throusands of cases per day and a collapsed health system, as it was in almost all Latin America. The field was able to stay free of COVID19 for a while, thanks to isolation methods through the closing of roads and highways. However, this caused a decrease on their daily sales, and as a consequence, on their incomes too.  

The region of Piura, where we keep an alliance with the cacao farmer from the Norandino Cooperative, was one of the most affected ones from April to June, due to tje collapse of various health centers and the daily increase of inffected people. Because of this, a contingency and support plan for the farmers was developed. Its objective was to ensure the health, wellbeing, and economic stability of the farmers, for which the following projects were implemented: 

• Ensure a good basic health through the delivery of food baskets to all the Cooperative members.

• Donation of health kits for treating the sickness on early stages, to the most vulnerable zones and where health services were most deficient.

• Implementation of prevention health protocols on all the Collection Centers.

   

República del Cacao donated a total of USD 3.500 to Norandino for the development of these projects. In total, 3669 baskets of food were distributed, 3 health centers were implemented on rural zones for the treatment of COVID19, and 17 cacao centers were establishe with all the equipment to comply with all hygiene and security protocols. Thank to all these actions developed alongside Norandino, we managed to mitigate the impacts of the pandemy on Peru’s rural communities and on members of the Cooperative, on a social, economic and health level.  

The economic recovery of local businesses and the field depends on the support of everyone who is part of the value chain. Little actions can cause a great impact, and if we work together, it is certain that we will overcome this. As República del Cacao, we reiterate our compromise with the development of the field and local economy, always focusing our actions on projects that will asure an inclusive economic and social development.  

Alejandra Ortega, Communication and Sustainable Business Assistant