LIMA, Peru – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Peruvian Exporters’ Association (ADEX) organized a master conference for ensuring better opportunities abroad for Peru’s cocoa industry.
The event entitled “Global Market Trends in Cocoa” featured as keynote speaker to Nicko Debenham, Director of the Cocoa Division at Armajaro Trading and World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) President.
Ricardo Huancaruna, President of ADEX’s Committee on Coffee and Cocoa; José Iturríos, Director of PCA; Augusto Aponte Martínez, Director of the Promotion of Agricultural Productivity in the Ministry of Agriculture; José San Martín, General Manager of Romex; and Antonio López, Economic Development Manager of the Regional Government of Ucayali attended the event.
Debenham’s speech addressed the sustainability challenges for the Peruvian cocoa industry in the areas of productivity improvement, yield increase, biodiversity protection and overall improvement of farmer’s livelihoods.
Armajaro Trading is a world’s leading supply chain manager in the agri-commodities sector for cocoa, coffee and sugar. The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (DEVIDA), Carmen Masías, closed the event, lauding the efforts of all entities, including USAID and the PCA, in the transition from illicit coca to vibrant economics based on fine-flavored cacao.
The conference, held at ADEX’s headquarters in Lima’s San Borja district, was also sponsored by the public-private partnership Alianza Cacao Peru (Peru Cocoa Alliance) together with the country’s National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (Devida).
Photo credits: USAID
