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→Issouf - a peasant cocoa farmer in the Sambirano valley
In 2009 Issouf created a new plantation further away from the village. Beside already existing older cocoa trees he planted new trees in the shade of fruit trees next to coffee shrubs, banana trees and vanilla. On his plantation grow all three types of cocoa: criollo, forastero and trinitario.
<!--Issouf is president of the ADAPS cooperation in the Ananambao region. The Association pour le Dévelopment de l'Agriculture et du Paysannat du Sambirano (Association for the Development of Agriculture and the Peasantry of the Sambirano) buys dry beans from independent farmers for a fixed, fair price. As all members of ADAPS, Issouf has to farm and process the cocoa after strict regulations to ensure a good quality cocoa.-->
Cocoa grows all year round. In the Sambirano region are two peak seasons for harvesting - in June, July and October, November. Depending on the season, Issouf goes daily or twice a week together with his kids and wife to the plantation to harvest ripe cocoa pods. Most fruits grow directly on the stem, others on branches. For harvesting Issouf uses a special harvest machete with a round peak, similar to a hook. He has to be very careful when harvesting the pods. The ripe fruits need to be cut off minimum 5mm from the stem to not damage the floral button, from which a new flower will grow. Thereafter he and his family open the pods and separate the wet beans from the shell. The wet beans are brought to a fermenting and drying station.
