The Cacao Gardener Initiative
Cacao Gardener is a not-for-profit initiative founded by Cacao Mama students to journey into the heart of the sacred forest and to bring greater awareness to the source of the sacred Cacao Spirit.
The Cacao Gardener's mission is to learn from the cacao tree and nurture all stages of planting, growing and harvesting to serving the heart-opening medicine "in ceremony". We inspire cacao lovers to close a circle within their offerings, bless the source, learn about sustainable practices in the field and support cacao farmers and their families.
We weave a vision of a healthy, vibrant cacao forest growing in the right relationship and envision a living bridge between people, plants and traditions to sustain the quality of life so that awareness, gratitude and love can travel to the four directions.
Cacao Gardener Colombia · For the Sacred Forest
In Cacao Gardener's first project, we invested in cultivating a sacred cacao forest. Over three years, we worked closely with the Sierra Divina project, located between the Caribbean coast, the high mountains and the tropical rainforest of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, close to Rio Guachaca and Rio Buritaca. The Sierra is the ancient land of the four tribes of the Tayrona people: Kogi, Arhuaco, Kankuamo and Wiwa, who call the Sierra the "Heart of the World".
Sierra Divina was founded by Ricardo Leyva and Juan Pablo Galvis. With the permission of the Wisdom Keepers of the Sierra, they partnered to cultivate a cacao forest in a sacred, respectful and responsible way. The 34-hectare land was in a poor state caused by deforestation for unsustainable cattle ranching. After ten years of recovery, the land was ready to host a sustainable agricultural project centred on biodiversity to create positive economic, social and environmental impact.
Over three years, we worked closely with the Sierra Divina team to learn directly from the cacao farmers and be involved in every step, from the cacao nursery to the transition to the land to help grow a biodiverse, healthy cacao forest. We invited cacao lovers to become guardians of a cacao tree. In exchange, we opened channels to inform in the vision series and educate in ceremonial gatherings. All members of the Cacao Gardener team visited Sierra Divina.
Pagamento
The project is blessed by Mamo Miguel, a Kogi elder, who fulfils three "pagamentos", a payment to Mother Earth performed to maintain the balance between giving and receiving: one before the first tree is planted, one for the Cacao forest and one to bless the Cacao Gardener Initiative.
Impact
Through the Cacao Gardener Fund, we contributed to reforestation and sustainable land use. The Cacao Gardeners Initiative has
- Initiated 127 tree sponsorships
- Planted 1,600 cacao trees, 1,600 shade plants and 200 oaks on 2 hectares of land
- Established a water management system to conserve water and ensure the cacao plants receive the right amount of moisture
- Planted 4,000 endemic trees in a 24-hectare nature reserve
- Co-financed technical equipment
- Secured regular wages for the plantation workers.
In addition, plastic bags commonly used for the seedlings in the nursery were replaced with biodegradable and compostable containers ("Jiffy Pellets") made from organic materials to reduce the environmental impact. Unlike plastic bags, Jiffy Pellets can be planted directly into the soil, which means no plastic waste and less stress for the young trees.
The Loss of Trees
During 2023, there will be major climate fluctuations in many countries, and cacao farmers in Ecuador, Guatemala and Indonesia among others will lose up to 40% of their trees. Cacao prices will rise by 300% worldwide. Sierra Divina loses almost 1000 young cacao trees due to lack of water.
Climate Change & World Cocoa Market
In 2023, the weather pattern known as El Nino is having devastating effects in South America. Unusually dry weather has led to water rationing and even power cuts. Colombia's capital city of Bogota is now rationing water for the first time in decades.
Climate experts say the dry weather in Bogota and much of Colombia is due to warming temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which are known as El Niño events. This weather pattern happens every two to seven years. And it can have drastic effects around the world, especially in South America says Andrea Devis, an oceanographer in Bogota's Rosario University.
The current El Niño event began last June. In Chile, dry weather contributed to forest fires in February. And in Ecuador, officials declared a state of emergency last week and began to ration electricity because of the lack of rainfall. Seventy-five percent of Ecuador's electricity comes from hydroelectric plants, but the dams in the mountains are at historic lows. Source
In 2023, El Niño conditions led to prolonged droughts and water shortages in the Central American Dry Corridor, Bolivia, and Colombia, alongside intense rainfall and flooding along the coasts of Ecuador, Peru, and inland Bolivia. These climatic variations led to agricultural impacts, with crops at risk of being lost due to droughts or destroyed by floods. Agricultural losses exacerbated food insecurity, created economic hardships, and heightened the vulnerability of communities reliant on agriculture for their livelihoods. Source
This year, in some regions (of Guatemala), heat soared to unprecedented levels with weeks at 42 degrees Celsius without rain, leading to the death of over 50% of young plants in some areas. Local farmers report a drastic drop in harvests, with crop yields falling to 40-50% compared to last year. Source
El Niño, coupled with climate change, is wreaking havoc on West Africa’s cocoa production, which accounts for 70% of the global supply. Erratic rainfall patterns and increased temperatures in West Africa have caused moisture stress and inhibited the growth of cocoa flowers and pods. These climatic shifts also exacerbated the spread of pests and diseases, making it challenging for farmers to maintain optimal cocoa yields. The situation is impacting not just the chocolate industry but also local and global economies.
Heavy rains have led to the spread of black pod disease, a fungal infection that rots cocoa pods. Black pod disease in cocoa is primarily caused by the fungus Phytophthora spp., which thrives in humid and warm conditions. The disease manifests as dark, water-soaked lesions on the pods, eventually leading to rotting. This has jeopardised both the quality and quantity of cocoa crops, raising concerns about a third consecutive year of deficit for the 2023/24 season.
El Niño’s impact on global crop production is a growing concern for global food security. From staple foods like rice, sugar and palm oil to luxuries like wine and chocolate, the phenomenon is disrupting agricultural output worldwide. This not only threatens food security but also has the potential to inflate global food prices, affecting economies and households alike.
- For over a decade the cost for a metric ton of cacao circled around $2.500.
- After poor harvests in West Africa, the price for a metric ton of cacao goes up to $4.200 a ton by December 2023.
- Financial speculators get involved, pushing the price above $6.000 a ton in February, $9.000 a ton in March, $11.000 a ton in mid-April and $7.700 per ton in June. Source
Realignment
Today, 370 cacao trees grow vigorously and beautifully on Sierra Divina's land, of which some are already bearing fruits. The Sierra Divina team installed a new nursery using 300 seedlings harvested from these trees. The seedlings will go into the field by mid June 2023. The Sierra Divina project decides to concentrate on 1 hectare of land to make the best use of the resources and avoid losses. This will allow the cacao forest to grow organically and sustainably.
A message from Serap Kara, the founder of Cacao Mama
In early 2017 I started to share the teachings of the Cacao Spirit through the Cacao School and shared the classroom with beautiful people from all around the world. In almost every class, we discussed the idea of closing a circle within our offerings while looking at cacao's history, the global market and how the once sacred plant cacao was transformed by the Colonialists - first into medicine and then into industrial chocolate.
When we entered the state of Ceremony we experienced the original heart medicine of the Cacao Spirit and witnessed how we were able to connect with a highly evolved consciousness effortlessly. The veils between the worlds lifted and carried the voice of the forest, calling me. I wanted to connect with the source of cacao and envisioned becoming godmothers and godparents to a cacao tree. What if we could give something meaningful for all that I had received from the Cacao Spirit?
There are those projects that do not flow until you find the right ingredients. I think about one creation myth and believe having its root in the Maya Cosmovision: "many ingredients were mixed, but only when Cacao was added, the human was created". I needed a team and the experience of working together for the vision to come into manifestation. In 2020, I asked students to step into the medicine circle, represent one element and midwife a vision that allows to come full circle within our offerings.
Within the dreaming process we opened to be guided on how to value our resources, cultivate the circle way, breathe out instead of pushing through and overall enjoy our humanness while dreaming a bridge to carry intentions and sacred blessings for the nurturing of Pachamama and the Cacao Elder Spirits. Meeting every (other) week, we experienced the blessing of practice, patience and continuity. Then we were introduced to the Sierra Divina project and started to build a bridge between Europe and Colombia.
After three years of journeying into the heart of the sacred forest and into the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Colombia, the place the Kogi Mamos and Tayrona Elders call the 'Heart of the World’, the first Cacao Gardener project is complete and we look forward to seeing the cacao trees grow and bear fruits.
Together with my team, we open to receive Cacao Gardener's next mission.
Thank you for being the guardian that you are.
Thank you for planting a tree.
Serap Kara
Summer Solstice 2024
Cacao Gardener Artwork by Alexis Aronson from Cape Town, South Africa ♥︎
Pictures @ Tristan Photography, Marcus Weber, Ricardo Leyva, Serap Kara
The Cacao Gardener Initiative is supported by Cacao Mama