As in other parts of the Monte Plata province that contribute cacao to the Rizek Essentials collection, it seems as if cacao has been there for centuries, along with the farms in the municipalities of Yamasá, Peralvillo, and Bayaguana, that account for the bulk of cacao production. But the history of the region is far more complex than meets the eye. Cacao has come into its own only in recent decades to diversify an economy that has largely depended on sugar cane, tobacco, and cattle ranching, concentrated largely in flatter lands of the province.

Rizek Cacao is mindful of the social and cultural importance of this region, as we train and educate cacao farmers on the advantages of direct trade by means of the FUPAROCA Foundation (Foundation for Social Assistance, Rehabilitation, and Management of Organic Cacao Plantations).Cacao now offers a measure of stability and well-being to about 1,850 certified organic farmers working with Rizek Cacao in this longsuffering region.

As a way to increase farm productivity and cacao quality in the area, FUPAROCA’s Escuela de Campo (ESCA) initiative offers training in proper pruning techniques, grafting clones, identifying elite plants, adopting sustainable farming practices like intercropping, and caring for forest resources such as flora and fauna.