Soul Cocoa Plus Solomon Islands

The Soul Cocoa Plus project helps farmers create sustainable cocoa farming through improved crop production and training in business management. The Solomon Islands is the second-poorest country in the region with challenges such as a narrow productive base, rapid population growth, donor dependency, weak governance, and political instability. The cocoa farms in the Solomon Islands have been poorly managed and are not yielding crops to their full potential and quality. Soul Cocoa Plus educates farmers in necessary skills in crop management techniques such as pruning, grafting, and integrated pest and disease management. Training for farmer cooperatives will take place in the communities to ensure that it is relevant to the specific issues. Soul Cocoa Plus supports the involvement of women and ensures the widest possible distribution of knowledge and grass-roots ownership. Further, the support of building connections between cocoa producers and chocolate makers and engagement with and involvement of buyers of cocoa beans supports the overall sustainability of the project.