Sustainable Economic Development in Bua

Micro enterprise development with increased productivity, access to capital, and development of market linkages at local, national, and international levels.

Brief Description of Project:
Recognizing the need for alternative sources of income generation, the Yanapuma Foundation is working with a group of community cacao promoters to improve the production methods of fine cacao. This will take some time, as cacao production is still very new to the region. The idea will be to find the best type of cacao for the region and then start to disseminate this knowledge to other community members via the cacao promoters. The goal will be to expand and solidify a cacao growing organization. From here it will be important to look into ways of acquiring organic certification, technology transfer to enhance drying methods and eventually a suitable market to sell the dried cacao. It would also be possible to process some cacao into chocolate that could then be sold to local markets. Commercialization will require national and possibly international markets that could give a fair and generous price to the cacao growing association members. Alongside this will be the need for capacity building in accounting, finance and access to micro-credit in order to deliver the necessary technological inputs to improve production and commercialization.

We are also continually working with the Shino Pi Bolon Cultural Group to enhance cultural protection as well as explore ways of income generation through small -scale community tourism.

Other areas of micro enterprise development include creating sapling nurseries to produce saplings of local hardwoods for sale and reforestation, small-scale poultry units to produce eggs and meat for consumption and sale, and developing community banks to increase capital and economic flow in the communities.

2011 Project Actions:

• Continue working with community Cacao promoters in refining their growing methods, improving production levels, and building organizational strength
• Creating family tree nurseries along with organizational development
• Creating and supporting community banks, with capital and training
• Creating family poultry units, especially with youth and women