Maya Mountain Cacao – Guatemala Climate conditions in Guatemala are perfect for cacao growing. It were the Mayans who first discovered how to use the fruits of the wild cacao tree to make chocolate. Cacao was then used as part of religious rituals, also for medicinal and culinary purposes and was of important value as trade currency. It was associated with long distance trade and luxury. Nowadays, cacao is one the most traded commodities in the world, with prices set in the international financial exchanges in New York and London. Within the global cacao trade, the niche for certified organic and fair trade is relatively very small. Existing cacao production in Guatemala is being organised through community associations of Maya smallholder producers. The largest of these associations primarily sells its cacao to a Guatemalan women’s chocolate making cooperative, and other domestic buyers. Although cacao production is very common in Guatemala, there are no initiatives to produce and export high quality cacao on a large scale. The cacao sector also lacks knowledge and adoption of specialty grade quality methods and standards in growing and processing cacao. The applicant Whitmore Family Enterprises, LLC, DBA Taza Chocolate (USA), local partner Exportcafe SA and the third partner Uncommon Cacao (Belize) aim to introduce specialty cacao practices to the Guatemalan industry and introduce Guatemala as an origin for specialty cacao to international specialty buyers. Taza Chocolate and Uncommon Cacao will create a joint venture in Guatemala. A partnership agreement between Exportcafe and Uncommon Cacao will be signed, specifying each partner’s responsibilities. The project partners will expand Uncommon Cacao’s pioneer work in Belize to Guatemala, with the purpose of connecting Mayan cacao producing communities to specialty cacao export markets.In 2012, a first export trial sale was done by the project partners with the cacao outgrowers in Guatemala. This trial is until now the only export experience for cacao outgrowers in Guatemala. The project will build an export infrastructure for Guatemalan cacao by establishing the first in-country private cacao nursery and clonal garden, field-based quality control lab and export centre. The project partners intend to transform Mayan farming communities by providing agronomic training, high quality inputs (including cacao seedlings and genetic material) and access to micro-credit through a partnership with the micro-credit platform Kiva.org. The project will generate full-time employment for eight people and will work with 400 Mayan outgrowers. The project will train and certify the farmers in sustainable and organic production methods.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Technical assistance programmes, organic certification and training in complying with organic methods will be provided to the farmers. This will include sustainable planting of new cacao trees, intercropping and pruning for sustainable tree cultivation and composting organic residues to improve on-farm soil quality. The project partners will work with 400 cacao farmers and will add additional producer associations each year of operations, reaching 3,000 farmers by year ten. Taza Chocolate will pay the farmers USD 500 per ton over the New York market price. The project will empower the Mayan communities by increasing their incomes and providing access to agronomic training, high quality agro-inputs and ability to invest using micro-credit. The project partners will pay their lowest-earning employee at least 50% above the minimum wage. The project partners will ensure security of all employees all year long.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsTechnical assistance programmes, organic certification and training in complying with organic methods will be provided to farmers. All cacao producers will be organic certified. Taza Chocolate will pay 500 USD per ton over the New York market price. The project partners will pay their lowest-earning employee at least 50% more than the minimum wage. The project partners will ensure security of all employees all year long.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeExisting cacao production in Guatemala is organised through community associations of Mayan smallholder producers. They only supply the domestic market of chocolate makers and lack the knowledge and adoption of specialty grade quality methods and standards in growing and processing cacao. Intensive agronomic training, access to micro-credit for farmers, cultivation and introduction of improved varieties through clonal gardens and nursery development, and quality control infrastructure, including high-quality warehousing for specialty cacao and a sample roasting lab, as well as the set-up of an export chain for high quality cacao are not yet present in Guatemala.•	Chain effectsAll raw materials will be purchased locally. The cacao will be produced by 400 Mayan indigenous farmers, reaching 3,000 farmers by year ten. The project will empower the Mayan communities by increasing their incomes and providing access to agronomic training, high quality agro-inputs and ability to invest using micro-credit. The project will train and certify the farmers in sustainable and organic production methods. Taza Chocolate will pay 500 USD per ton over the New York market price. Increasement in rural income will have spill-over effects on the total local rural economy. This is important for the development in Guatemala where 52% of the population lives in rural areas and 70% of the rural population lives below the poverty line.The storage bags will also be purchased locally.•	Impact on the sectorIncreasing knowledge and capacity of cacao farmers in sustainable cultivation methods will have spin-off effects for the entire cacao industry. Agricultural communities will also benefit from  increasing knowledge about methods to preserve soil and water quality through training in planting, pruning, composting, quality control methods, optimal harvesting, fermenting and drying methods.•	EnvironmentDeforestation will be prevented and re-forestation promoted, through sustainable agricultural  methods. The project’s environmental impact will be documented and certified through organic certification.•	Position of womenPositive impact. One to two of the eight jobs will be for female employees. To establish the first exporting operation for specialty cacao in Guatemala, by providing training, inputs and credit to Mayan cacao farmers and constructing a first in-country cacao quality control lab, export centre, private cacao nursery and clonal gar