Improving Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing to support Management of Cadmium Levels in Cocoa in Latin America and the Caribbean

Improving Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing to support Management of Cadmium Levels in Cocoa in Latin America and the Caribbean
DURATION:
 N/A
LOCATION:
 Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago
NATURE OF PROJECT:
 Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
ESTIMATED TOTAL COST:
 US$ 557,273
GRANT FINANCING:
 US$ 375,562
CO-FINANCING
 US$ 63,691
COUNTERPART FINANCING
 US$ 118,020
PROJECT EXECUTING AGENCY (PEA):
 Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
PROJECT SUPERVISORY BODY:
 International Cocoa Organization (ICCO)
PROJECT STARTING DATE:
 To be determined
COMPLETION DATE:
 To be determined

 

 

Brief Description:

The project is in response to the European commission Regulation NO. 488/2014 which established a Maximum Residue Levels of 0.1 – 0.8 mg/kg of cadmium in chocolate products (depending on the percentage of total dry cocoa solids contained). The project will support the participating countries in their coordination and information sharing efforts on best practices for cadmium mitigation and remediation in cocoa as well as to enhance their technical capacity to analyze cadmium levels in cocoa beans. The project will contribute to improving knowledge of cadmium presence in cocoa growing areas through analyses and mapping. The project will also create awareness about cadmium contamination and measures for mitigation and remediation along the cocoa value chain.

 

 

Project Objectives:

The goal of the project is to maintain market access of cocoa and cocoa-derived products from the Latin America and the Caribbean region by application of strategies for reducing the levels of cadmium concentrations while contributing to poverty alleviation and ensuring food safety. The objective of the project is to better manage cadmium concentration in cocoa and cocoa-derived products from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago through coordinated regional approach, in order to comply with new trade measures establishing cadmium limits.

 
Project Status:

The project proposal was reviewed and approved by the Economics Committee at is fourteenth meeting in September 2019. The ICCO Secretariat will submit the project proposal to the Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF) for grant financing consideration at its meeting in July 2020. The project proposal will also be submitted to other potential donors to secure the necessary co-financing for the project.