Maya Mountain Cacao

Posted on October 15, 2014 by EMCjoe No comments

Chocolate brings people together, creates memories when baking with it, and puts a smile on your loved ones face when they have had a bad day. Cacao farmers who help farm this bean are living below the poverty line and I think it is time we start helping as much as we can to change that, which is exactly what Maya Mountain Cacao is doing in Belize.

Maya Mountain Cacao connects 330 small-producer cacao farmers in southern Belize to the fine chocolate industry in the United States. For most farmers involved farming is their only source of income, and by connecting with the U.S. chocolate industry they are able to support their families’ health, children’s education, and lives.

Maya Mountain Cacao currently supplies 6 chocolate makers and has over 70 on their waiting list. They have invested heavily in expanding to the national production market, which will help them bring their farmers as much value as possible. However now, it’s time for them to take the next step: they have partnered with the community and their local leadership to build a productive, world-class cacao demonstration farm!

Not only will this farm bring more value to the farmers, it will bring a new source of income to the community, Belize education, and help make their local environment better.

Maya Mountain Cacao has equipped themselves with the best team possible to make this farm happen. Now they need help raising the funds to get them going.  This is where we come in. Their goal is to raise $40,000, which will enable them to plant 120 acres of cacao agro forestry, set up nurseries, pay the salaries for their farmers, and to do agricultural cost, compost, and maintenance trainings. 

Donations can range from $1-infinity. Every cent helps! For a mere $25 you can have a tree planted in your name or $50 you can have 5 planted!

You can submit your pledge on the Maya Mountain Cacao blog: Indigenous Innovation: Revolutionizing the Cocoa Industry in Belize.

Please make a pledge and support a loving, rich, and beautiful community in making the chocolate industry and the lives of many better….for the love of chocolate.