𝗔𝗗𝗥𝗔 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗖𝗢𝗔 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗨𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗜𝗡 𝗡𝗘𝗚

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) through its Soul Cocoa Plus Project (SCPP) has successfully concluded a two-day cocoa awareness training for the Tumpape Community in NorthEast Guadalcanal.

The training was funded by ADRA Australia through its SCPP which took place from Wednesday 11 December to Thursday 12 December 2024.

Robert Waisu, a private cocoa consultant was engaged by SCPP to facilitate the training. The sessions covered several important topics, including:

The history of cocoa and its role in the global market, the importance of planting cocoa, Site and soil selection, Selection of dry and wet beans, Sales recording, Pruning techniques, The Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) concept, The cropping cycle, and Various pruning methods.

The training was attended by about 15 existing and aspiring cocoa farmers from the Tumpape Community and its surrounding areas.
Project Manager for SCPP, Patrick Masia has expressed optimism about the project impact.

“This is part of our project expansion to new communities that we are currently working with them’’

“ADRA SCPP is pleased to collaborate with the Tumpape community as our new project site. Cocoa training and awareness are integral components of our program expansion, and we will provide training and cocoa materials to the farmers as part of this new partnership,” he added.

One of the cocoa farmers who attended the training, Mr. John Taule, described the training as a valuable learning experience.

“We already have farmers here with existing cocoa plantations, but our biggest challenge has been a lack of knowledge on how to increase production and improve techniques for better yields’’

“I personally requested ADRA to conduct this training here. It was heartwarming to see my family, brothers, sisters, and the wider community attending this training to enhance cocoa production and meet quality standards for selling cocoa beans,” he added.

Another participant, Ms. Linda Taule, shared her enthusiasm for the training:
“To be honest, I was very interested in this training. My husband and I already have two hectares of cocoa plantation, and this training was incredibly important for us.”

“When we planted our cocoa trees before, we just did it randomly without understanding proper planting procedures. Through this training, we’ve gained new insights and skills on how to plant and harvest cocoa correctly. I’m deeply grateful to ADRA for organizing this training and to the facilitator for sharing his expertise with us,” Ms. Taule remarked.

Meanwhile, ADRA SCPP has identified Tumpape as a new project site. Over the next six months, ADRA will work closely with the community under this project.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between ADRA SCPP and the Tumpape Community, formalizing their partnership to deliver further training and provide cocoa farming materials to support local farmers in the community.

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ADRA Press Release