At a Glance
Location: Peru
Impact Areas: Income Generation, Employment Formality
People Supported:
Rural, Women, Indigenous Peoples
Joined NESsT Portfolio:
2023
Overview
Located on the banks of the Huallaga River in the Peruvian Amazon, Cuencas del Huallaga Asociacion De Productores Agropecuario (“Cuencas”) sources high-quality Fairtrade, organic cocoa from over 500 smallholder farmers, paying fair prices for their products.
The agricultural cooperative operates across remote San Martin, Ucayali, and Junín communities that have limited access to basic public services, healthcare, and education – around 90% of the local population do not have a high school diploma. Though agriculture is the backbone of the region, local small farmers often face difficulties in reaching the market and have to resort to selling their crops to middlemen at low prices.
Cuencas equips its members with technical training in organic farming methods, helping them achieve high yields while avoiding the use of harmful pesticides. This support helps producers to transform their farms into profitable, eco-friendly businesses.
Cuencas uses a geolocation app to monitor the cacao production of its members and detect areas in which trees are cut down to plant crops. This advanced quality control system guarantees the traceability of its cacao beans and allows the cooperative to work alongside its members to improve their farming practices. The app also enables Cuencas to maintain close communication with farmers and their families to ensure their wellbeing.
Results & Impact
30
producers supported from Indigenous communities
850
smallholder farmers supported by 2026
50%
of farmers supported by 2026 are women
“Working closely with NESsT’s portfolio managers, our aim is to build on our decade of work in the region improving rural livelihoods and enhancing sustainable local development. Together, we can generate and sustain positive social, environmental, and economic change across the local communities of San Martin, Ucayali, and Junin, and for the small-holder producers who live and work there. ”
NESsT Investment
The Lirio Fund’s investment will provide working capital to Cuencas on an as-needed basis, allowing the social enterprise to boost its organic cacao production capacity and increase the number of cacao suppliers it sources from. NESsT will also support the social enterprise to hold workshops in targeted areas to actively engage women in its cacao production activity.