SCOOPS CECACAO

Overview

SCOOPS CECACAO is a Cameroon-based cocoa cooperative project in the Nkong-Nkeni, Bondjock District, built around an integrated tree-to-bar model that combines agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, post-harvest handling, and artisanal chocolate processing. The project aims to move from exporting raw beans to capturing more value locally through premium bean sales, chocolate production, biochar, honey, and organic fertilizers, with a Centre of Excellence for training and agronomic optimization at its core.

The project is designed to improve the productivity and resilience of cocoa production in Cameroon as well as strengthen sustainable agroforestry and regenerative agriculture practices within the region. Doing so will generate broader economic benefits for cooperative members and surrounding communities. It strategically links commercial development with traceability and sustainability objectives, including deforestation-free sourcing, diversified income streams such as honey and biochar, and stronger market access through partnerships with EU offtakers and artisan chocolatiers.

The Challenge

Cameroon faces a set of linked cocoa sector challenges: low producer incomes, soil degradation, deforestation pressure, limited market access, and the export of raw cocoa beans that leaves most value outside the producer community.

Structural challenges such as aging orchards, inconsistent post-harvest practices, limited agro-processing infrastructure, and climate variability also limit productivity and sustainability in the sector.

Canopy Trust Involvement – Technical Assistance

Canopy Trust’s technical assistance package is structured as a staged support process that begins with a deforestation impact assessment and, if the initial findings are positive, continues with environmental and social due diligence. This approach is intended to confirm that the project’s land use, sourcing, and implementation pathway are aligned with SDG objectives.

The later technical assistance components focus on turning the project design into an operational sustainability framework. They include agroforestry design at parcel level, cooperative training, MRV system design, and biodiversity assessment, all of which support implementation and strengthen the project’s ability to demonstrate measurable environmental and social outcomes.

Our Target Impact

The project aims to build on existing cooperative capacity, government support, and technical partnerships to improve productivity, strengthen resilience to climate pressures, and support a more value-added and climate-aligned cocoa value chain. In parallel, it takes advantage of clear economic opportunities: demand is rising for premium, traceable, and deforestation-free cocoa, especially in the EU, and Cameroon’s cocoa sector is increasingly positioned to capture that demand.