The project “Multi-agency cacao platform for Latin America and the Caribbean” was approved in October 2018. It has a total investment of USD 2.7 million, of which FONTAGRO contributes USD 452,675 and partner institutions provide the rest. It works in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and the Dominican Republic and aims to:

• evaluate plant material and management practices;

• standardize cadmium measurement across laboratories;

• produce at least three cadmium maps;

• test agroforestry and fermentation strategies for higher-quality beans;

• train at least 30 technicians.