Cacao Farm volunteer opportunities and responsible tourism experiences related to Cacao Farming.

Cacao, or Cocoa, is obtained from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao plant, is a food that is allied to the heart and the mood, able to stimulate the release of endorphins

Among the Mayans, chocolate was called kakaw uhanal, or “food of the Gods”, and its consumption was reserved only for certain classes of the population (sovereigns, nobles and warriors).

Plantation cocoa is cultivated between the 20th parallel north and the 20th parallel south, at a lower altitude than the wild, for convenience of harvesting.

Where is Cocoa produced?

There are three large areas where it is grown in large quantities, in particular:

• American cocoa: the most appreciated are the Mexican, the Brazilian Bahía (cultivated in Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador) and finally the Chuao and Porcelana, cultivated in Venezuela.
• Asian cocoa: Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
• African cocoa: the quality produced in Ghana is important, as well as those grown in Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Madagascar.

Cocoa is grown on about 17 million acres (27,000 square miles; 69 000 km²) worldwide.

Want to learn more about Cocoa? Volunteer on a Cacao Farm 🍫

Cacao farm volunteer opportunities