Biodiversity

Until the eighties Brazil was the world leader in the production of cocoa and 90% were produced in the state of Bahia around Ilheus with 400,000 tons per year. 

 

In 1989, the fungus "vassoura de Bruxa" (Crinipellis pernicious), travelled to the Bahia (nearly a century after Suriname struck in 1895,then in Ecuador in 1918, Trinidad in 1928 and Venezuela in 1937. This fungus caused the abandonment of cocoa cultivation and in part the conversion to pasture or areas of intensive agriculture. It created poverty by reducing the need for labour and the destruction of the forest, to allow space for cultivation to help those who remained unemployed. 

 

Brazilian cocoa production is now down to about 100,000 tonnes per year, (Brazil producing the most cocoa in South America but close after Ecuador) in sixth place in the world, after the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria and Cameroon. The new African and Indonesian plantations were created to fill the gap made by the reduced production in Brazil. Increased world demand has made two problems: the cocoa that comes from the Americas and is cloned from a few specimens means there is a low genetic variability and a strong susceptibility to the extensive spread of disease. The cocoa is produced in full sun often causing the total extinction of biodiversity. With labour costs very low and in some cases comparable to that of slavery it makes it almost impossible for the South American competition. 90,000 jobs were lost in the state of Bahia and with them the ability to invest long-term viability of the plantations. 

 

The social damage is added to the ecological damage as areas of "Cabruca" (areas where the cultivation of cocoa is made in the canopy of the primary forest). These are zones of transition or shelter for wildlife that can move and encourage the exchange of DNA.  In Africa or Indonesia the cultivation is undertaken in full sun and, as there is no link between the foliage of the trees, this isolates the mammals as they are unable move from tree to tree. It becomes difficult for mammals as they are not used to moving on the ground. The genetic heritage of the fauna is impoverished with the flora that does not benefit of the transport of seeds that animals provide. 

 

In Bahia different endemic primates such as the golden-headed lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelus) the yellow-breasted capuchin monkey (Cebus Apella xantosthernos) and Weid's black-tufted-ear marly (Callithrix kühl) use areas of Cabruca plantation to move around the area. 

The preservation of the traditional system of Cabruca typical of Bahia is essential for the production of cocoa and the conservation of areas of primary forest is critical in the preservation of the rainforest. 

 

Cocoa Amelonado Forastero Comun originally from the western Amazon was mostly planted in large areas of Brazil, Indonesia and Africa.It 'also considered the original from which all cocoa varieties come from. Due to the geographical proximity to Amazonia and thus the ease of transport of the different DNA's the genetic diversity is greater in Bahia than elsewhere. The germplasm of many plants can be kept in the orthodox way, namely in the form of semi-dried seeds and stored at a low temperature.The germplasm of cocoa can be stored only on living trees. The future of cocoa depends on the availability on a large scale of different germplasm in order to produce plants resistant to the diseases of today and of the future, and quality of plants suited to local climates. Almost all the recovery of the plantations of Central America affected by the fungus Crinipellis pernicious occurred in plants of wild cacao. They did not recover even with shipments from the Western Amazon in the 30’s and 40’s. 

 

FirstFlora produces organic cocoa certified by IBD (Biodynamic Institute Brazilian) with agroforestry system of forest conservation and use of local labour. 

 

The plantation is on the "Costa do Cacau" sixty kilometres from Ilheus the capital city of novels of Jorge Amado. The area of production is approximately 30 hectares using the "Cabruca" system to safeguard biodiversity with subsidiary production of cloves, cashew, coconut, cinnamon and coffee. 

 

The distinctive strong flavour of the cocoa is born from the rich red soil of Bahia. It’s Forastero cocoa-type is ‘characteristically buttery’ and has a low yield per hectare. Fermentation takes place in boxes made from fine wood will develop colour and flavour of the beans. The sun is used to dry the bean and takes place following the highest standards using the best tools for quality-control technology. Only the best beans are selected and transported to Italy where they are hand roasted by size and blended with unrefined ingredients, no soy lecithin and without overheating which could affect the quality. Finally a long conching enhances the smooth velvety texture and the aroma of FirstFlora chocolate giving it a mirror shine. 

 

 

Sales of chocolate help to support the protection of the FirstFlora Reserve: hectares of dense Rain Forest west of Itacaré in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The area is part of the region of Rio de Contas, which holds the world record for tree biodiversity with 454 different species of trees per hectare of which 53%are endemic.

 

We are part of the cooperative of Cabruca of Ilheus,which consists of about sixty members, including a Sem Terra Movement (Squatters). The production of the cooperative is approximately 200 tonnes of organic cocoa using the "Cabruca" system.