The 3rd International Theobroma Para La Paz Congress took place in Florencia (Caquetá), Colombia, from September 17-18, 2024, hosted by the University of the Amazon. This event gathered cacao producers, researchers, students, and industry professionals to discuss inclusive and sustainable cacao cultivation.
Clima-LoCa contributed to the congress with two key presentations. Mirjam Pulleman, project leader, gave a keynote on strategies to mitigate cadmium absorption in cacao beans. She also participated in a forum on cadmium mitigation in Latin American cacao, alongside experts from AGROSAVIA, CATIE, and Eduardo Chavez from the Escuela Superior Técnica del Litoral (Espol), who is also a Clima-LoCa researcher.
Eduardo Chavez presented findings from over five years of research on cadmium mitigation in Ecuador’s affected areas, discussing soil amendments and management practices, as well as new questions about cadmium absorption mechanisms.
William Melo, a senior researcher at Bioversity International and CIAT, shared insights on regenerative agriculture in cacao agroforestry systems, showcasing Clima-LoCa’s contributions to this emerging field.
The congress provided an essential platform for Clima-LoCa to share its preliminary findings, helping to address climate change and cadmium challenges in cacao production.