The major crops of Ecuadorian fine cocoa (called aromatic) are concentrated in the project area by a multitude of small producers. In relatively close areas, between 1,000 and 1,800 meters above sea level, Arabian coffee from high ground is grown.

It is an extremely poor area, where 94% of the inhabitants are unable to meet their basic needs. The majority of producers do not legally own the land they cultivate, which leads to difficulties in accessing public and financial services. The production and post-harvest processes are characterized by poor quality, which leads to difficulties in accessing the market.

The action stems from the desire for collaboration of the members of the various producer organizations, who wanted to share their respective skills and identify a path that would address the above issues, encouraged by the government authorities.

The project, which lasts 3 years, aims to contribute to food sovereignty in Ecuador with a participatory approach and through sustainable agroecological processes, which enhance the production of cocoa and coffee with organic and quality certifications.

1. A first area of ​​intervention will concern the strengthening of production processes through the training of producers, aimed essentially at improving the quality of products, and the provision of production factors and production infrastructures (supply of selected seeds, creation of nurseries, adaptation of systems water systems, improvement of storage spaces, construction of infrastructures for the fermentation of cocoa and for the drying of cocoa and coffee).
2. A second intervention will be aimed at strengthening the associative marketing, enhancing the biological and quality characteristics with a special mark of origin, favoring the development of cocoa paste and chocolate and making a special revolving fund available to allow the necessary liquidity.
3. The third axis of work will concern the improvement of the skills of local governments regarding the planning and participatory management of the territory in agriculture, providing training and tools suitable for the purpose.
4. The fourth aspect, to which Mani Tese will be particularly dedicated, will concern the formation and strengthening of associations of agricultural producers. It will aim at achieving greater awareness and motivation of the key actors in the development process, whether they are the direct beneficiaries of this project, as well as those who in the future will be able to benefit from it by natural expansion or by imitation. There will be a dissemination and awareness campaign, aimed at organizations, local authorities and citizenship more generally, on the issues of food sovereignty, the right to food and agroecology, with particular attention to the role of women; for this purpose, a special publication and video and graphic dissemination tools will be used.