COdN has entered into a strategic partnership with Pelle Bongo to facilitate the distribution of their innovative harvesting tool. This tool serves as a viable alternative to traditional machetes, offering cocoa farmers a safer, cleaner, and more efficient means of opening ripe cocoa pods and extracting the seeds, effectively separating them from the surrounding connective material. This process facilitates more comprehensive
and effective fermentation of the seeds, thereby preserving and enhancing the flavor
attributes crucial to chocolate production.

The ultimate outcome is the production of higher-quality dried cocoa beans, and the improved livelihoods and future prospects of cocoa farmers and their families in thevregion.

We delved into the latest advancements in bio-input research, emphasizing biological control methods for this fungus. As a result of our discussions, we have outlined specific on-farm activities for implementation.