More than 500 people take part in the first Cocoa Traceability Forum–Fair in Orellana (Ecuador)

April 6, 2026.- More than 500 people took part in the Cocoa Traceability Forum–Fair, held on 19 and 20 March in the towns of El Coca and Puerto Murialdo (Loreto), in the province of Orellana, Ecuador. Both days saw the participation of male and female producers, as well as institutional representatives and members of the export sector.

Over the two days, technical information and practical tools were shared to contribute to the development and improvement of the cocoa production chain. The aim was to strengthen this process in Orellana, a province with a strong cocoa-producing presence and where the Training of Trainers II project is being implemented, promoted by AL-INVEST Verde and Agrocalidad, with technical support from Trias.

Through this project, 143 implementers and 7 trainers have been trained in Orellana, and they will play a key role in supporting actors in the cocoa value chain with the registration of their farms in Agrocalidad’s GUIA System. During the event, diplomas were also awarded to some of these participants.

Registration in the GUIA System helps strengthen cocoa traceability through the georeferencing of farms, thereby facilitating compliance with the European Union Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR). It is therefore a strategic tool that generates key information for access to international markets.

The Training of Trainers II project strengthens the capacities of actors in the cocoa value chain across the territory in order to support compliance with EUDR requirements. At national level, 1,885 implementers have already been trained, and they will contribute to the process of registering 30,000 cocoa producers in the GUIA System.

About AL-INVEST Verde

AL-INVEST Verde is a European Union (EU) programme whose main objective is to promote sustainable growth and job creation in Latin America, supporting the transition towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy.

Through Component 2, led by FIAP in consortium with IILA, the programme provides assistance to strengthen public policies and promote multi-stakeholder dialogues on sustainable agricultural and value chains, environmental and labour standards, as well as sustainable trade and economic policies and regulatory frameworks.