Cooperative Agraria Cafetalera “El Quinacho” Ltda

Founded 2012Villages 2Small farmers 600 Products organic raw cane sugarCultivable land 600ha from EcoFarm 600ha from the members of the cooperatives CertificatesEU-Bio (EG 834/2007)

The Chemba District in Central Mozambique is an exceptionally pristine and rural location on the Zambezi River. Mozambique’s brutal civil war be-tween 1976 and 1992 was very intense in Chemba and destroyed most of the transport and public infrastructure. After the war the region received rel-atively little attention because of the severe depopulation during the fights. The reconstruction took mainly place in other areas with more people. An economic baseline identified the per capita income in the region at a low USD 0.76 per day, making it one of the poorest regions in the world.

Agriculture continues to be the mainstay of Mozambique’s economy, em-ploying 80 percent of its labor force and contributing more than a quarter of its GDP. The overwhelming majority of producers are subsistence farmers. The Chemba District is very well suited for cane sugar production. There are many hours of sunshine, high daily temperatures and low rainfall. The fertile soil rich in clay retains the water and allows high yields. Direct access to the Zambezi River ensures sufficient water for irrigation. Because the water withdrawal is less than 0.07% of the minimum flow of the river, the downstream water users are not affected.

PRONATEC and EcoFarm have signed a long-term commercial agreement to promote the organic raw cane sugar from Mozambique. The two partners are united by the same ideals based on respect for nature and on providing a dignified life for small producers.

EcoFarm

www.pronatec.com

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The organic sugar project started in 2012 and included investments in an irrigation system and in the region’s only sugar mill. Today Ecofarm produces organic sugar of the highest quality. Half of the sugar cane comes from EcoFarm’s own fields, and the other half from the two local cooperatives, COCO Chapo and COCO Lambane, with whom EcoFarm works closely. This structure means that EcoFarm can meet high social and environmental standards.

The project has a wide-ranging impact at the local level. With over 600 permanent employees and numerous seasonal workers, EcoFarm is the largest employer in Chemba District. In addition, more than 500 members of the farmers’ cooperatives earn their livings from sugar cane cultivation and benefit from EcoFarm’s infrastruc-ture and market access. EcoFarm’s visionary manage-ment team does not content itself with the status quo. They see the achievements to date as a good start to support the long-term development of the region.

EcoFarm is committed to high ecological standards. The majority of fertiliser is produced from animal manure and biomass directly on site. More than half of the land is left in its original state to promote biodiversity and maintain the balance of the local fauna and flora. The logistics are also set up in an environmentally friendly way, as the cultivation areas are close to the sugar mill and the sug-ar is transported to the export harbour by rail in sealed containers.

The long-term commercial agreement between PRONATEC and EcoFarm includes a purchase commit-ment by PRONATEC and a substantial premium for organic sugar. The two parties are promoting organic raw cane sugar from Mozambique and are working on intro-ducing Fairtrade certified cane sugar in the second half of 2021. The two farmer cooperatives COCO Chapo and COCO Lambane are currently going through the Fairtrade certification process.

The organic raw cane sugar Syramena from Mozambique is characterized by its very light, beige colour and a very constant crystal size. .

ECO FARM Our partnership with EcoFarm

Raw cane sugar