The hidden face of cacao: deforestation and exploitation
For decades, cacao production has been one of the main drivers of deforestation in tropical regions, especially in West Africa. Ghana and Ivory Coast, the largest producers in the world, have lost vast areas of forest to cacao plantations. These practices have destroyed habitats for elephants and chimpanzees and degraded soils that are exhausted after just a few years of intensive farming.
Deforestation is linked to another structural problem: working conditions. Many African farmers face exploitation, including child labor, and prices are not set by them but by large chocolate corporations. Wealth is concentrated in a few hands, while communities lose land, future, and dignity.
Certifications: guarantee or illusion?
When we talk about sustainability, it’s common to think of certifications like Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance. Yet these seals do not always guarantee real change. Studies have shown that, despite their presence, deforestation continues and child labor has not disappeared.
On top of that, certification costs are disproportionately high for small producers: in many cases up to six times higher than in Europe. This excludes or indebts farmers and makes certification more of a burden than a solution.
That is why, instead of looking at how many labels a product has, it is essential to ask about its origin. A product covered in certificates can even raise doubts among those who seek true quality: what matters is not the paper, but the soil and the hands that cultivate it.
The value of origin and cacao varieties
Not all African or Asian cacaos are of low quality: there are modern hybrids with excellent flavor profiles, often used in fine chocolate. However, their development has been driven mainly by the need for higher yield and resistance. This makes them more suitable for large-scale industrial chocolate than for ceremonial cacao, where cultural connection, intention, and medicinal depth are essential.
By contrast, in the Americas —the ancestral cradle of cacao— varieties like Criollo, Nacional, and Chuncho still survive. These cacaos preserve not only complex and aromatic flavors but also deep cultural and spiritual value tied to thousands of years of history. They represent the root of what we understand as ceremonial cacao: a living food that connects us with memory, ritual, and the land.
True sustainability on a cacao farm
Sustainability is not an abstract concept; it can be seen and felt in the land where cacao grows. A sustainable farm is not a silent monoculture but a living landscape full of sounds, aromas, and biodiversity.
In these farms, cacao coexists with other crops: bananas, mangos, avocados, maize, medicinal herbs, and flowers. This polyculture protects the soil from erosion, attracts pollinators, and maintains fertility. Tall trees provide shade that regulates humidity and prevents direct sun from burning the plants.
Fertility is maintained thanks to nature itself: after each harvest, cacao husks are returned to the soil as organic compost, covering it like a protective blanket. Waste is not waste — it is life returning to the natural cycle. In this way, the farm not only produces cacao but also food and medicine for the community that cultivates it.
This kind of farming requires patience and a long-term vision: it doesn’t aim for maximum immediate production, but to care for an ecosystem that will last generations. The cacao that grows from such land carries balance, love, and respect. It is less abundant than industrial cacao, but infinitely more valuable, because it protects both the health of the consumer and the planet.
Cacao and the future: economy with consciousness
Working sustainably also means thinking about the economy differently. It is not about producing at the lowest cost, but about valuing the land and human work fairly. Real sustainability stands on three inseparable pillars: the land, the community, and time.
A model based on monocultures and deforestation can create quick profits but destroys the future of those who depend on the land. A sustainable model, instead, cares for everything and everyone, creating healthy food, strengthening communities, and ensuring that the land continues to give life for decades.
Conclusion: beyond the label, real commitment
Sustainability in cacao is not measured by certificates but by living practices: biodiversity, natural compost, respect for the earth, and justice for those who work it.
When we choose ceremonial cacao from small conscious producers, we are choosing much more than food: we are supporting a way of life that protects forests, honors the land, and strengthens communities.
Discover our Ceremonial Cacao pastes here.
To keep learning, you can also read: Which cacao is healthier: toasted or raw?
