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CIAT Hosts First Learning Workshop in Peru: Advancing Agroecological Transitions in the Cacao Value Chain
The Alliance of Biodiversity International & the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the BIOTRAILS project successfully hosted the first Learning workshop in Pucallpa, Peru, on October 4th, 2024. The workshop aimed to generate knowledge through participatory tools that drive biodiversity changes. Held in the Ucayali Region, the workshop focused on agroecological transitions and biodiversity-friendly business models. The objectives were to raise awareness of the value of sustainability and agroecology for the national and international cacao and chocolate market and to identify the interactions between production, trade, and consumption in the cacao and chocolate value chain with biodiversity to co-identify and co-create collective learning alliances through stakeholder analysis.
A diverse group of 28 attendees, including producers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from the private and public sectors, participated in interactive sessions designed to gather knowledge and share experiences. This allowed the identification of existing problems related to biodiversity in the Ucayali Region.
Participants identified the main problems and proposed solutions, which were ranked according to their impact and difficulty of implementation. The workshop helped assess the complex and non-linear connections between Biodiversity, Climate, and Society (BCS) based on stakeholders’ perceptions and knowledge, as well as the situational state of the cacao and chocolate value chain.
Participants registered on the BIOTRAILS Learning Platform, joining the global cacao group. This presents an opportunity for these companies and producers to connect with global networks of markets and research from the European Union.
The BIOTRAILS project’s main mission is to generate knowledge and develop tools that inspire and accelerate transformative change for biodiversity in our society. It employs the Participatory System Dynamics Modeling (PSDM) methodology, which considers the complex interrelationships between the direct and indirect actors in the cacao and chocolate value chain in Ucayali, Peru, as well as global climate and social justice agendas.
The learning workshop is part of the action plan and work line of the Biodiversity & CIAT Alliance, which is within the framework of the inter-institutional cooperation agreement with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism of Ucayali.