Plantación Del Eden : Project development
03/09/2018
The story seemed simple. It could come out of a garden or a tourist guide... But serious discussions would start.
"Plantación del Eden" is not the owner anymore of the visited infrastructure but it was before. After several years of drought, "El Niño", the plantation could not pay the rents to the banks. It had to give back the parcel of land on which were installed the storage shed and the drying tunnel.
I wish I could help this plantation by funding a new shed and a new drying tunnel on their property so that Tamara could keep up producing in a calm and independent way. After several years of work in agroforestry there was still more to do. Tamara also asked me to pay for a solar panel for the habitation. I agreed!
After the installations, the discussion would keep on going. I decided to directly buy from her her Premium quality cocoa beans. The local cooperative did not seem always keen on paying the price for such a quality...
I decided to find out more, to understand and to get involved on the long term with this plantation.
Beans paid the fair price
Instead of being satisfied with a punctual help on which I could communicate I wish to set up a long-term relationship with some farmers that I do not know and who do not know me!
In my opinion, to propose a professional relationship was the only way to engage a sustainable relationship.
I got some information from the Chambers of Commerce, from experts in international law, and on the Franco-Dominican relationships... I decided to propose partnership agreement on several years, in order to propose a surcharge for organic farming certified beans and another surcharge for the premium quality beans. With this extra money, the plantation would be able to pay for technical support. They had more experience than us in this matter!
We were also committed to handle the transportation, that is organize the pick up of the beans on the plantation to be sure of the smooth functioning. This would also ease the task of Tamara.
