Rachel's Journey to Cultivating Resilience

“The project has greatly helped us in terms of tools and skills in how to care for our blocks, how to bud and prune”, says Rachel.

Rachel, a 31-year-old mother of two, whose journey into cocoa farming started in March 2023 is not just a farmer; she is an inspiration for women in her community, breaking gender stereotypes and cultivating resilience against adversities – like the cocoa pod borer (CPB) pest.

She is a registered farmer under the Kou Cooperative Society Limited, an initiative supported by the Australian NGO Cooperation (ANCP) and implemented by World Vision in PNG. The project has become a catalyst for change, providing essential tools and imparting vital skills to cocoa farmers like Rachel.

The pivotal aspect of the intervention lies in the training provided to the farmers. Rachel and her peers received hands-on education on efficient cocoa farming practices, focusing on essential techniques such as pruning and creating optimal spacing between cocoa trees. These seemingly simple practices have yielded incredible results, enhancing the health and productivity of their cocoa blocks.

“They taught us how to prune and gave us tools to do that, they also taught us how to make sure our blocks had enough sunlight and space between cocoa trees as well as to avoid the Cocoa Pod Borer (CPB),” Rachel adds.

The positive impact of these lessons is evident in the health of their cocoa trees and the control of the CPB, a pest that wreaked havoc in 2008, leaving many cocoa blocks abandoned.

“When the CPB came, we gave up and left our cocoa block; it became a bush. But now, as you can see, our block is clean and very tidy,” she adds.

The transformation from a neglected thicket to a thriving cocoa block is a testament to the effectiveness of our intervention and the resilience of these farmers.

As Rachel and her fellow farmers follow through with the guidance of our project staff, they witness a significant reduction in CPB invasions during harvesting. This is a milestone for Rachel, who is preparing for her first harvest since the CPB struck. The cocoa pods, carefully harvested and now fermenting, hold the promise of a renewed livelihood for Rachel and her family.

The project's impact extends beyond the cocoa block into the financial well-being of farmers. Through the Savings 4 Transformation (S4T) initiative, Rachel has been trained in financial literacy, a vital tool for personal, professional, and economic transformation.

“I have not sold any cocoa yet, but I sell other items to earn an income, and I save some money in our S4T group,” she says.

The S4T initiative goes beyond traditional savings programs; it instills the concept of planned financial forecasting, enabling farmers to save funds for emergencies, long-term goals, and positive life changes.

 “My husband and I plan to use the money we have saved for our children’s school fees and for times of emergencies or if our children fall ill,” adds Rachel.

She emphasises the importance of gender-inclusive training, expressing the need for more women to acquire the skills necessary to support their husbands in cocoa farming.

“In our community, there is a stereotype that this heavy work is only for men. When we are taught these skills, often it is for the men. But we women need to learn as well to help our husbands when they work on our blocks and are tired,” she adds.

The positive behavior changes among women farmers, inspired by the project's intervention, are breaking down gender barriers and fostering a sense of equality in the agricultural landscape.

Rachel's story captures the transformative power of sustainable interventions in empowering individuals and communities.

The Kou Cooperative Society Limited, with support from ANCP through World Vision in PNG, has not only revived cocoa farming but has also ignited a spark of empowerment among women like Rachel.

Chairman of the Cooperative Society, Henry Daniels, passionately believes that educating farmers about caring for their cocoa trees is the key to unlocking not just wealth, but 'healthy wealth' – a means for individuals to rise above the poverty line.

"Our cooperative strives to transform farmers into assets in their cocoa blocks," says Henry.

He adds that remarkably, farmers who had never sold cocoa before are now thriving, thanks to the skills training and support provided by the project staff.

Henry, despite being visually impaired, leads with vision and determination, overseeing approximately 1500 farmers. His collaborative efforts with the project team show the power of inclusion and unity in creating positive change.

The impact of the project extends beyond cocoa management, touching upon behavior change in farmers regarding gender and disability inclusion, savings, and family decision-making.

Henry's community is witnessing a transformative journey, highlighting the far-reaching effects of this impactful initiative.

And for Rachel, as her cocoa block flourishes and her savings grow, she stands as a representation of cultivating resilience through determination.