Dia 5: A Day at the Örebä Cacao Plantation

Today we decided to set aside our flippers and snorkels and take a trip to the mainland. We took one of the STRI boats to the nearby town of Almirante. The boat ride to Almirante was gorgeous; we passed by the San San Wetland Reserve, which is home to the endangered manatee.

View of the San San Wetland Reserve from the boat

Once we docked in Almirante, we were met by Samuel, a tour guide/farmer from the Örebä Cacao Plantation. We were driven to the plantation, which is located on land owned and occupied by the Ngöbe indigenous people. The first part of our tour was led by two Ngöbe women, Darlene and Josephine. They showed us a variety of plants that were growing on their land, including bananas, taro, yucca, dragonfruit, and starfruit. Some plants were used for food and others for medicinal purposes. The Ngöbe people practice agroforestry, meaning that they grow their cacao with a variety of other trees and shrubs in order to create a diverse, productive, and sustainable environment.

Haley being led by Darlene and Josephine

Next, Samuel, who is a Ngöbe cacao farmer himself, walked us through the process of growing and processing cacao. Farmers there grow a wide range of varieties of cacao. All of the cacao that is grown at the Örebä Cacao Plantation is organic, meaning that zero pesticides are used. This is a challenging way to grow cacao because there is a fungus that likes to grow in certain varieties of the cacao fruit and make it inedible for humans. In order to combat this without using any fungicides, farmers, like Samuel, keep their cacao trees pruned so sunlight is able to reach the fruit and prevent the shade-loving fungus from growing. All of the trees on these farms are maintained by hand. In the words of Samuel, cacao trees are grown with "love, passion, and dedication."

Samuel with one of the cacao varieties

Next, we learned how the cacao fruit is processed. First, the cacao seeds are taken out of the fruit and put through a week long fermentation process in order to remove their fleshy outer layer. Next, the seeds are roasted, which makes it easier to remove their shells. After that, the roasted cacao is ground into a paste. This paste can then later be mixed with milk and/or sugar to be made into chocolate. We were able to taste the cacao at each stage of its journey, and let me tell you, it was DELICIOUS!

A cacao seed before fermentation

Freshly roasted cacao

Erin grinding roasted cacao into a paste like a pro

After our tour, we were treated to a traditional Ngöbe lunch of chicken, rice, taro root, and taro leaves, and given the opportunity to purchase cacao products and other souvenirs. We left the plantation with happy tummies and enlightened minds. We were all glad to be able to leave our little STRI bubble for the day and experience Panama in way that supported a hardworking indigenous community. I think its safe to say we enjoyed our day a chocoLOT!

The gang with Jack (far left), our interpreter for the day

Thanks for reading!

Emily Bork