On Sunday October 20, Guanay welcomed over a hundred guests at the "Native Cacao Festival, Guanay 2013", with the message that their use contributes to value and conserve this legendary plant of the American rainforest and the forests where it grows.
Its organizers, the Municipal Government of Guanay, the Leco Larecaja native cacao producers (CHOCOLECOS), from Mapiri Municipality (APCAO-Mapiri) and from the Tacana Indigenous People's Council (Carmen del Emero and APAET of Tumupasa), turned the festival into a party, displaying the significant achievements of the cacao producers. This effort was supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and the Association Municipalities of Northern Tropical La Paz, and was sponsored by TIGO, Gran Hotel Cochabamba and IMBOL.
Authorities from the Vice Ministry of Rural Development and Agriculture, the departmental government of the Department of La Paz and of the municipalities of San Buenaventura, Mapiri and Teoponte, reaffirmed the government decision to give strong support to cacao producers and contributed to highlight the celebration of the festival.
Prizes were awarded to field schools with the best practices in cacao production: setting nurseries, seedling production, grafting and pruning, agroforestry plot design and conducting harvest and post harvest. The first prize went to the field school of “Los Claveles” from the Mapiri Municipality, the second prize to “Las Navajas” school from the community of Pelera, and the third, to the school “Unidos Sector Río Coroico”, the latter two field schools belong to the CHOCOLECOS association.
Ten elementary schools in cacao growing communities participated in a drawing competition that actively involved children in the activities of the fair, while stimulating their creativity. 120 drawings were submitted, six of which received awards from the audience. The winning drawing corresponded to 11 year old Maycol Bruno Cuqui from Baronpampa Education Unit. The drawings depicted forests and wildlife, environmental care and the problems that currently characterize the region, such as mining and deforestation.
A festive touch was added with the presentation of traditional dances and the tradition of naming a queen and king of native cacao 2013. The queen chosen was a beautiful young girl from the community of Viliqui in the municipality of Mapiri, and the king was a boy with a great personality from the community of Barompampa in Larecaja Lecos Indigenous Territory.
In recent years, cacao has been gaining great importance due to its demand in the domestic and international market. Bolivia has about 5000 acres of native wild and cultivated cacao, mainly in the northern Amazon region. Its use dates back to pre-Hispanic times, when this product became important for its nutritional and commercial value. Even today cacao represents a major livelihood for indigenous small - scale agricultural producers of the country.
Finding markets that value the conservation of native cacao and its wild varieties is one of the main objectives of the producers of northern La Paz. In this way, it will be possible to preserve those characteristics that made it famous in the past: its taste, aroma, colour and texture. It is essential to strengthen the productive base of indigenous small scale producers, consolidating sustainable use processes of cacao, mainly in the buffer zones of Madidi, Pilon Lajas and Apolobamba protected areas.