Securing the world's cocoa resources
Every day a substantial area of tropical rain forest is cleared for timber extraction, shifting agricultural practices and other purposes.  As the rainforest is reduced, wild cacao trees and thousands of other unique plant and animal species associated with it are lost.

Cocoa Research Centre (CRC), based at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, is mandated to conserve the wild cacao varieties that originated in the rainforests and from cocoa-growing areas worldwide.  All the conserved trees are being grown as a living collection at the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad (ICGT).

The biodiversity of this collection is vital as it provides material for plant breeders to develop improved varieties by conventional methods for the thousands of smallholders who cultivate cocoa in the humid tropics.

Evaluation of the trees in the ICGT for their potential use receives support from a number of organisations, but CRC relies on private donations and sponsorships for the collection's continued maintenance.  
 

You can be personally involved with this important task.

There are several levels of sponsorship.

     Guardian: US$5000/£4000/€4500 will maintain a plot of eight (8) or more cacao trees for a period not less than 10 years.

     Guardians will receive Sponsor-level gifts, cocoa inspired memorabilia and their name(s) will be included on their sponsored plot label in recognition of their valuable contribution. The names of all Guardian level patrons will also be recorded in the register of ICGT supporters.

     Sponsor:  US$1500/£1200/€1400 will maintain a plot of eight (8) or more cacao trees for a period not less than three (3) years.

     Sponsors will receive a bar of dark chocolate made from Trinidad cocoa beans, a patron card with their plot's unique identification code and origin, and a map showing the location of the ICGT within Trinidad.  Sponsor level patrons will also be recorded in the register of ICGT supporters.

     Supporter:  US$180/£140/€165 will maintain one cacao tree for a period not less than three (3) years.

     Supporters will receive a patron card with their tree's unique identification code and origin, and a map showing the location of the ICGT within Trinidad. Supporters will be recorded in the register of ICGT supporters.

     Contributor:  US$50/£40/€45 will contribute to the maintenance of one tree for one year.

     Contributors will be recorded in the register of ICGT supporters.

Adopting a cacao tree or an entire plot, will ensure this priceless natural resource (the raw material for chocolate) remains available to plant breeders worldwide now and for generations to come.

For more information on sponsorship, or to make a contribution please contact us at info@cocoacentre.com