Regenerative cacao in Ecuador
Co-design
Regenerative cacao in Ecuador
A feasibility study is underway to co-design a Living Lab in Ecuador focused on regenerative cacao cultivated in traditional Indigenous agroforestry systems known as chakras. These ancestral systems offer a nature-positive, culturally rooted model for productive land use, biodiversity conservation, and food sovereignty.
About the project
Ecuador’s rich biodiversity and globally renowned specialty cacao position it well for premium sustainability-focused markets. The study aims to assess key structural constraints, map actors, capacities, and value chain dynamics, and design a Living Lab to guide a long-term vision for a regenerative cacao ecosystem.
This includes a high-value, fully regenerative supply chain co-owned by Indigenous communities, integrated into premium international markets, and supported by committed buyers of fine-flavour cacao.
The feasibility study will be completed in 2026, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Updates
New Ecuador project focuses on regenerative cacao
A new feasibility study will investigate the creation of a CBA Living Lab.
