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---------Project overview---------
Once fertile and biodiverse, the landscapes of coastal Manabí now face drought, erosion, and unstable markets due to decades of deforestation, monocultures, and chemical dependency. This project supports smallholder farmers to restore their land, increase income, and build climate resilience through a replicable model of regenerative cacao agroforestry.
Since 2017, our team has implemented successional or "Syntropic" agroforestry across 70 acres at Los Arboleros Farm. In 2025, we trained 25 farmers across five regional hubs through Rotary Global Grant #GG2570132 in collaboration with the Rotary Clubs of Guayaquil Astillero (D4400) and Santa Rosa East/West (D5130). Each farmer established a 30×30 meter agroforestry plot that integrates cacao with fruit, timber, and biomass-producing species. These demonstration plots now serve as living laboratories and community learning centers, supported by monthly technical visits. As of mid-2025, 96 percent of plots show strong development, even in degraded soils. Perhaps most promising is the peer-to-peer support emerging through weekly workdays, where farmers actively help one another on their farms.
Traditional monoculture cacao systems in the region generate around $6,660 (at 2025 market prices) per hectare annually and depend on costly chemical inputs. Our diversified syntropic agroforestry systems are projected to yield over $9,000 per hectare by year five or six, using only on-farm resources. Farmers are expected to reach net positive returns starting in year five, while also gaining greater food security and access to premium markets that we are developing through parallel initiatives.
Syntropic agroforestry restores ecosystem function, improves soil health and productivity, and reduces input dependency. It is a nature-based solution to increasing climate pressures and income instability.
---------Why This Matters---------
The region is home to ancestral cacao trees but faces growing climate and market pressures. Meanwhile, international demand for deforestation-free, traceable cacao is surging. This project connects farmers to that opportunity while restoring ecological and economic balance.
We are addressing the root causes of poverty and degradation by focusing on:
● Higher income and lower costs through diversified, resilient systems that eliminate
agrochemicals and promote on-farm fertility
● Ongoing, hands-on training with follow-up support
● Development of living seed banks and post-harvest processing infrastructure
● Strong community networks built through local leadership, co-design and peer-to-peer learning
2026 Scale-Up Goals
● Train 60-70 new farmers in three rural hubs, each establishing a 40×40 meter syntropic
agroforestry plot
● Support three-four top-performing 2025 farmers to establish 1-hectare demonstration plots and
train 30 others on-site
● Build a fermentation and drying unit to ensure quality control and access to specialty markets
● Expand subregional learning groups and monitor ecological, social, and economic outcomes
Each new plot will build on eight years of applied experience at Los Arboleros Farm and lessons from the 2025 training program. Technical improvements will include deeper soil preparation, denser planting, direct seeding, and early application of biofertilizers and microbial inoculants. Tailored irrigation systems will increase climate resilience from the start.
---------Budget---------
Farmer Training & Support
Year-round technical support, training of 60 new farmers, and training of 3-4 local farmer-trainers. Required food, lodging, and community facilitation costs.
Total: $40,200.04
Tools, Seeds & Trees
Distribution of essential farming tools, irrigation equipment, seeds, and grafted cacao trees.
Total: $66,519.00
Cacao Processing Facility
Construction of a fermentation and drying unit at Los Arboleros Farm to support post-harvest cacao processing.
Total: $10,000.00
Monitoring & Evaluation
Covers quarterly field scientist visits to farms, soil sampling, and testing.
Total: $13,900.02
Administration & Contingency
Includes program management, coordination, and allocation for unforeseen and extraordinary expenses.
Total: $15,951.00
Grand Total: $146,570.06
---------Timeline---------
This project begins in November 2025 through November 2026
1. Project planning and curriculum development - 4 weeks
2. Community outreach to publicize the commencement of the courses. Offering two 1-day workshops on pruning to network with farmers and farming groups - 4 weeks
3. Register participants for courses - 1 week
4. Assessing farmer cooperative creation or local farmer group creation - 1 week
5. Register all students. Reconfirm farm business data with all registered students - 1 week
6. Create a specific evaluation of the selected students in order to refine the curriculum according to their needs - 1 week
7. Beginning of Training - Module 1: Fundamentals of Syntropic Agroforestry and Soil Restoration - 1 week
8. Module 2: Practical Agroforestry System Installation and Early Maintenance - 1 week
9. Feedback and Evaluation of applied skills of graduates - 1 week
10. Community outreach and follow-up with previous graduates, troubleshooting problems, addressing questions, and supporting the subregional group formation - 4 weeks
11. Community Outreach for registration of Course 3 - 2 weeks
12. Module 3: Multi-Year Syntropic System Management & Community Network Building - 1 week
13. Plot Implementation: Demonstration Parcel Expansion and Livelihood Integration - 2 weeks
14. Follow-up and feedback from course graduates. Evaluation of subregional groups and implementation of practices on model farms - 4 weeks
15. Routine follow-up at each farm (1 time/month) and regular facilitated group sessions of work (1 time/month) - Ongoing (1 year)
---------More---------
VIDEO https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lzw94uP1_BUqyA7k2ipp46V5jBm4RtEK/view?usp=drive_link
FULL DETAILS INCLUDING FILLED GRANT APPLICATION https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I7MHP4jII2pbimzWniytjALNsQhdmRTH?usp=sharing
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