As the global food and agriculture sector continues to navigate uncertain waters in the face of climate change and supply chain issues, players in the local cocoa industry are being called upon to continue innovating their practices to remain competitive and sustainable.
At the launch of this year’s UWI St Augustine Cocoa Research Centre (CRC) Annual Research and Development Symposium (CARDS) on May 22, CRC director Professor Pathmanathan Umaharan urged the sector to innovate their production systems, business model, management methodologies, private sector services, and technical assistance.
Since 2017, the annual symposium has provided a space for cocoa stakeholders to convene and contribute ideas to the long-term sustainability and growth of the cocoa sector.
Themed “Strengthening the Cocoa Value Chain and Building Sustainability,” this year’s event comprised of an in-person event at the School of Education Auditorium on May 22 and online training sessions from June 5-6.
Partners and sponsors for this year’s symposium included the Australian High Commission, EXIMBANK, National Flour Mills, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries.
During his address, Umaharan noted, “A few months ago, with support from FAO under the OCOP project, we completed a comprehensive value chain analysis and sustainability analysis. We were able to identify the gaps or binding constraints (holding back the cocoa industry), and suggest an upgrade strategy for this industry that we think is one of industries that must help us to build a sustainable economy post oil and gas.”
Umaharan added the analysis revealed that cocoa stakeholders should place focus on strengthening their value chains, incorporating sustainability into their models, technologically advancing their operations, and building collaborations.
With global cocoa prices climbing to historic highs in 2023 and then tumbling in the first quarter of 2024, this year’s symposium highlighted some of the vulnerabilities leading to volatilities in the cocoa market, including the need for greater pest management and disease control in the face of changing climatic conditions.
With the CRC’s work on preserving local cocoa genetics, the symposium also offered stakeholders opportunities to network directly with local researchers and experts.
UWI St Augustine Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine highlighted the development of the EU-supported International Fine Cocoa Innovation Centre from 2014 to 2018 as just one initiative of the CRC and university’s strategic approach to the cocoa industry’s needs for greater sustainability and technological advancement.
She explained, “Within the Innovation Centre, there is a model cocoa estate, a modern postharvest processing facility, a pilot chocolate factory, and business and technology incubators, all established with the support of the Swiss chocolate company Lindt Sprüngli.
“With support from IDB-LAB and George Washington University, the Centre is working on building investment portfolios and creating a hub to attract investment into the country.”
Since its creation, the Centre has trained over 300 chocolatiers, assisted in the creation of over 80 value-added SMEs, and collaborated with the local private sector to establish a fund aimed at supporting the rehabilitation of small farms into productive units.
Prof Antoine added, “I am proud to state that our Innovation Centre has spawned the first commercial entity in The University of the West Indies – a commercial chocolate factory. With the implementation of CRC’s quality management system and the acquisition of high-quality, high-throughput equipment, the factory is poised to enhance efficiency, lower costs, and supply high-quality intermediary products to local chocolatiers.”
Prof Umaharan and Principal Antoine both noted that future editions of the symposium, and efforts of the CRC, will continue to focus on addressing the adaptability of local producers to deal with climate change and other evolving issues including labour cost, soil fertility, diseases, and volatile markets.
Looking forward, they both hinted that the university and centre will expand their efforts to incorporate artificial intelligence, data science, mechanisation, drone technology, and precision agriculture into future-proofing the cocoa industry.
For more information on the Cocoa Research Centre and their activities, visit https://sta.uwi.edu/cru/.
