Farming Cooperatives in Venezuela

"Here is one of the farming cooperatives we visited, La Provincia, in the area called the Paramo, which practiced Agroecology. We learnt from them about the fertilizer they were using, made with a fungus called Trichoderma, about planting fava beans, and preparing the criollo cilantro seeds to go into the ground. The community of 54 families has a communal council which has recieved funding for infrastructure projects and more recently a communal house." (Evergreen State College)

The fertilizer used at La Provincia (Evergreen State College)

"At a Cacao growing cooperative in Barlovento we were shown how they harvest the cacao and they explained the methods they use to be environmentally friendly." (Evergreen State College)

It is this cooperative which processes and sells the cacao in Venezuela (Evergreen State College)

Deshelling the cacao beans... (Evergreen State College)

Once the beans are peeled, they are then ground into a fine cacao powder... (Evergreen State College)

and finally you are left with a natural, delicious and preservative-free chocolate bar (Evergreen State College)

Bevere is a farming cooperative that supports several families, and was formed through the land reform under Chavez. They use organic, sustainable practices and are able to produce enough to export out of their town (Evergreen State College)

Bevere farming cooperative (Evergreen State College)