[{"bbox": [72, 104, 1157, 185], "category": "Text", "text": "remaining 69.3 % is commercialized as raw (without fermentation) and sold either throughout Central America or domestically. It is expected that by 2022, Nicaragua's total cocoa production would triple, in order to meet the production needs of large companies like Ritter Sport and EXPASA."}, {"bbox": [72, 211, 1157, 450], "category": "Text", "text": "A strategic goal for Nicaragua is to maintain its status of producer of fine and flavour cocoa. In order to do so, it is fundamental to characterise clones and breeds in every climate area and organoleptic attributes. It is also important to differentiate from commercial circuits and areas for bulk cocoa. A second strategic goal is to increase productivity, through clonal combinations and arrangements, higher plantation densities, and appropriate management of soil fertility and cocoa diseases. A third goal will be to improve quality, based on adequate protocols for fermentation, monitoring parameters related to food safety, residues and certifications. Strengthening smallholders and women's organizations as well as working conditions (decent jobs) will be a significant milestone for ensuring sustainability, as will be strengthening organisations that provide services to their members and with stable commercial relationships with exporters and industry."}, {"bbox": [72, 475, 1157, 714], "category": "Text", "text": "The proposed action will focus on (i) Strengthening the capacities of small and medium cocoa producers for environmental sustainability and better productivity, with a focus on the economic empowerment of women, youth and indigenous and afro descendent peoples in targeted rural areas, through incentives for renewing, rehabilitating and increasing their plantations and training, technological innovation and improvement of genetic base material (ii) Strengthening the capacities of women and youth for cocoa processing, circular economy and business management, focusing in particular on indigenous and afro descendent communities in targeted rural areas, for post-harvest management, transformation, and business management, and (iii) Promoting deforestation-free supply chains and developing a product traceability system for smallholder farmers, particularly those located in rural areas and indigenous and afro descendent communities, women and youth."}, {"bbox": [72, 741, 1157, 845], "category": "Text", "text": "Output 1.1 is focused on recovery, densities, diversification and technology for increasing productivity. This component also addresses issues related to nutrition, gender and indigenous communities' inclusion, and the use of bio-inputs for sustainable practices and recycling alternatives. Certifications (FLO, Organic, UTZ, Global Gap), and traceability would facilitate access to niche markets."}, {"bbox": [72, 873, 1157, 1059], "category": "Text", "text": "Organisation is a key element for certifications and cocoa transformation, including implementing fermentation protocols. Output 1.2 is focused on the transformation link, improving quality, business management, gender equality and governance. This is a key element for achieving the required standards in order to export, including to Europe, and to take full advantage of the EU-Central America Association Agreement. This component will also promote women and youth empowerment through a capitalization fund for landless and/or urban women's initiatives for transforming cocoa. The capitalization fund will include new and existing initiatives in every territory: Caribbean, Matagalpa-Jinotega, and Rio San Juan."}, {"bbox": [72, 1085, 1157, 1216], "category": "Text", "text": "Output 1.3 is focused on research for completing information for a fine and flavour cocoa traceability system. It will also address issues related to parameters such as quality assurance, safety, sustainability and differentiation of cocoa in international markets. Finally, it will explore digital solutions related with climate information for smallholder farmers and promoting deforestation-free supply chains. Traceability includes activities both under production and transformation."}, {"bbox": [72, 1243, 1157, 1562], "category": "Text", "text": "This action builds upon the experiences of two projects: CacaoNica, implemented by a French cooperative on the one hand, and the PROCACAO programme, financed by Swiss Cooperation (COSUDE). Both projects work along the cacao value chain to complement the efforts of both private and public investments aiming to guarantee the economic inclusion of populations living in vulnerable situations, particularly women and youth. Nevertheless, this action's approach is different from that of PROCACAO. While COSUDE placed an important role on public institutions (in terms of infrastructure, regulations, research, technical assistance), this action will place the burden of those roles on the private sector, CSOs and academia. This action will complement actions implemented by UNIDO, in the context of PROCACAO, aimed to enhance productivity and competitiveness of the cocoa production in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. NICACAO will support in particular producers whose crops were affected by last year's ETA and IOTA hurricanes, which will require at least four years to fully recover. This action will also seek to ensure multi-country and regional approaches where possible, coordinating as appropriate with other actions being implemented through the Central American Integration System (SICA) and in neighbouring countries."}, {"bbox": [1041, 1663, 1157, 1687], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 13 of 22"}]