Peru: Supporting Lives and Livelihoods in Agricultural Cooperatives
In Peru, international buyers reduced cacao purchases from cooperatives because they struggled to achieve the quality and volume standards required for export. Faced with a decrease in overseas sales, cacao cooperatives were tempted to diversify into illicit crops.
Through USAID’s CDP, Equal Exchange partnered with three Peruvian cooperatives to improve their capitalization and overall productivity, as well as the quality of their harvests so that they could continue producing cacao. Across all three cooperatives, productivity increased by more than 100% - and members earned over $5 million in quality premiums as a result of the program. Today, the cooperatives are more sustainable, with additional capital from enhanced member equity.