By Lucas Guaraldo*
Cacau Xingu chocolate, from Brasil Novo (PA), produced in an agro-ecological and sustainable system, was the first to be granted artisan registration by Adepará (Pará State Agricultural Defense Agency). The chocolate factory received support from IPAM (Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia) as part of the Sustenta e Inova project, which mainly helped with the scalability of the product’s production.
The enterprise currently produces more than ten varieties of chocolate, including 100% cocoa bars, cocoa jellies and nibs. Following the “from tree to bar” concept, the production process is completely handmade and uses selected ingredients, from the cultivation of the cocoa to the finalization of the product.
To ensure that production could be viable and follow the criteria for quality artisanal production, machinery was provided, as well as technical assistance in organizing the documents for certification of production and support for participation in regional, national and international fairs.
“It is with great joy that we share the success of our partnership with Cacau Xingu, which is now proud to be the first in the state of Pará to win the long-awaited Artisanal Seal for the production of artisanal chocolate. This milestone is not only an achievement for their agro-industry, but also for all family farming and for the cocoa growers of our state, who are increasingly verticalizing and valuing their work,” celebrates Elisangela Trzeciak, a researcher at IPAM.
Investments were also made in the Cacau Xingu brand, which gained new packaging and its own visual identity, developed through consultancy by Sebrae. The change seeks to keep pace with the new robustness of the production infrastructure and allows chocolate from Pará to reach larger markets inside and outside Brazil.
“Family regularization of artisanal agro-industries is one of the most inclusive policies in the state of Pará because it gives visibility to the production of family farmers and small farmers. The establishments that have the Adepará seal have gone through all the hygienic and sanitary procedures and also guarantee the origin of their raw materials, applying good agricultural practices in the field. This seal adds value, opens up the market and is a new opportunity for employment and income generation for family farming in our state,” said Lucionila Pimentel, Director of Adepará.
Security for production
“This seal is a source of great satisfaction and joy. We receive advice, mentoring and equipment that are fundamental for small producers who need this help to get started. I look at the tempering machine [a tool used to melt and temper chocolate before it is sold] that we received through the project and it fills me with passion and joy. Before, it took us five days to prepare the chocolate, but today it takes us two,” says Jiovana Lunelli, a rural producer and owner of Cacau Xingu
As part of the progress made in the new phase of her business, Jiovana was able to take part in the World Cocoa Forum, organized by the World Cocoa Foundation in São Paulo. The event brought together producers and agents from the cocoa chain to discuss the global potential of the crop, as well as highlighting the role of cocoa in preserving the Amazon and its participation in COP 30, which will discuss, among other issues, the generation of sustainable income in the biome.
“Taking part in the forum and hearing such important testimonies shows us that we are on the right track. I was able to present the agroforestry system we use, which I’m passionate about, and I was very happy to hear from so many people, not just from Brazil, but from all corners of the world, about the importance of cocoa. I think this is a very important moment for the entire cocoa chain,” adds Jiovana.
Transamazon
The development is located in the region of the Transamazônica highway, built in the 1970s with the aim of integrating the Amazon with the rest of Brazil. Until 1977, the federal government invested considerable resources in education, health, agricultural credit and road maintenance. After this period, however, the colonization project in the region was abandoned by the federal government and the migrant families found themselves isolated, without access to health, education and credit.
In this context, the Sustenta e Inova project, funded by the European Union and coordinated by Sebrae in partnership with IPAM, seeks to develop and implement sustainable and innovative agricultural practices that promote the development of heat chains in the Amazon. In the Transamazon region, the project is dedicated to environmental regularization, intensification of production systems, valuing and strengthening family production with the aim of supporting the formulation of programs and policies.
“Seeing the evolution of Cacau Xingu and knowing that it is now a benchmark for artisanal chocolate in Pará is much more than seeing an enterprise grow. For us, it’s the realization of work that aims, above all, to strengthen the local economy and value the culture of our region. It’s a victory for everyone who believes in the potential of family farming and what it can bring to sustainable development,” adds Thaynara Veloso, IPAM’s research analyst.
IPAM journalist, lucas.itaborahy@ipam.org.br*