Planting 7,000 Trees to Create Long-Term, Sustainable Impact

We’re excited to finish our very first Fair Trade Microgrants project! Over the past 6 months, the coffee and cacao farmers of the Cooperativa Agraria Granos de Oro del Valle de Pangoa in San Martin de Pangoa, Peru utilized their Fair Trade Microgrants funds to pioneer a new agroforestry program. By planting 7,000 trees, this reforestation project will enhance the area’s biodiversity, improve water quality, and create long-term economic stability.

What is the Fair Trade Microgrants Program?

Last year, with the support of our long-term partner, Fair Trade USA, we pioneered an innovative Fair Trade Microgrant Program. This initiative empowers cocoa, coffee, sugar, and vanilla farmers to secure targeted funding for the social and environmental sustainability projects they identify as most critical. It’s a unique program that places decision-making directly in the hands of producers, allowing community-driven investments to strengthen livelihoods and build resilience where it’s needed most.

A future without chocolate

The chocolate industry continues to face increasing challenges, with record-high prices and a third consecutive global supply deficit driven by climate change, crop disease, and economic inequalities. We are committed to ensuring a sustainable future for the chocolate industry. Our company-wide initiatives are guided by three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These ambitious goals, established in 2015, make the global call to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all by 2030.

There will be no chocolate in the future without addressing the economic inequalities in our industry. Our Fair Trade Microgrants project with the Cooperativa Agraria Granos de Oro del Valle de Pangoa strives to eliminate poverty in the coffee and cocoa farming communities by investing in long-term solutions and creating financial stability.

Planting the foundation for a more resilient future

Extreme rainy seasons followed by extensive droughts devastated the Cooperativa Agraria Granos de Oro Del Valle de Pangoa in the Province of Satipo, Peru. With our first Fair Trade Microgrant project, the Cooperativa implemented an agroforestry system and planted 7,000 tree seedlings. As the seedlings grow, they will restore vegetation coverage in degraded areas, mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity, and conserve areas of precious water resources.

Due to the fantastic support of our loyal Signature Chocolate Bar fans, we provided the Cooperativa with more funds than originally anticipated and donated a total of $14,000. The grant funds not only provided farmers with seedlings (which included native varieties of timber that are valued for their durability and quality), fertilizer, and tools for planting, but they also provided farmers with training in more sustainable agroforestry management systems.

Previously, there was hesitation within the Cooperativa to fully embrace forest management practices. Today, farmers are beginning to recognize clear environmental and economic benefits. As a result, 85% of farming plots within the Cooperativa are now utilizing agroforestry systems, with trees planted along farm boundaries as natural windbreaks and as living barriers that protect waterways. These changes strengthen the farms' environmental resilience and also enhance the long-term productivity and value of family farms.

The unforeseen challenges

With any project, challenges always arise. Our first Fair Trade Microgrants program was no exception. Unpredictable weather and extreme heavy rains made some of the remote farming communities inaccessible. With some of the additional funds, the cooperative members were able to rent 4WD vehicles to navigate the impassable roads. The farmers also faced challenges with competing priorities and limited availability. The agroforestry management training coincided with peak harvest times. Instead of foregoing the training, the agroforestry training team pivoted and offered personalized farm visits and one-on-one training. Implementing a project of this scale in a rural, forested region inevitably came with obstacles. Yet each challenge became an opportunity for the Cooperativa to innovate, adapt, and strengthen its systems for long-term success.

Long-term investment = long-term resilience

In total, 100 members of the Cooperativa received seedlings and training in agroforestry management systems, and the positive impact of our first Fair Trade Microgrants project will extend over the next 20-30 years. The project reshapes the landscape of farms and transforms mindsets. What began as a pilot for alternative farming systems has become a widespread movement within the Cooperativa.

For years, the number of family cacao farms has been on the decline. The bleak economic outlook of this way of life has caused the younger generations to migrate to more urban areas in search of a brighter future. This project was welcomed by the farmers and their families because the benefits will continue to improve the livelihood of the Cooperativa farmers and their families for generations to come. As the seedlings grow, they will restore soil health, conserve water, and enrich the biodiversity of the land. When the seedlings reach maturity in 20-30 years, the timber will provide a substantial economic return for the farmers. By adding long-term economic value and resilience to family farms, we create opportunities for the younger generation who will inherit the farm. The trees transform family plots into long-term assets, ensuring that farms grow in both productivity and financial resilience over time, and encourage younger generations to remain engaged in farming and to continue the tradition of sustainable agricultural production.

Inspiring hope for the future of chocolate

By embedding agroforestry systems into everyday farming practices, this Fair Trade Microgrants project has introduced a new model of farming that protects the plant and people for generations to come. The simple act of planting trees strengthens local farm economies and keeps communities together. It encourages the younger generation to remain connected to their land, continue the tradition of sustainable agriculture, and carry forward the legacy of stewardship established by their parents. This project demonstrates how local action, rooted in cooperation and sustainability, can generate generational wealth and lasting impact far beyond the immediate scope of a single grant.

At Lake Champlain Chocolates, we dare to do better. The future of chocolate depends on fostering more socially and environmentally sustainable farming communities. Our first Fair Trade Microgrants project with the Cooperativa Agraria Granos de Oro Del Valle de Pangoa is just the first step in making this future a reality. Together, we can be the change we seek in the world.