First Time Espanol

A few days ago, we met with Uli from GTZ, an NGO that works with the Kallari Cooperative. During the conversation, I realized that it might be useful for the alumni to know some key Spanish words relating to the cocoa processes!

Here it is in a paragraph that gives some information a la vez:

Kallari is a cooperativa of campesinos that grow cacao on their fincas. Many communities in the region of Tena participate in the cooperativa. There are 850 familias in the 21 different comunidades. Each comunidad has an asociación that is responsible for all the familias in their region. Each asociación is run by people within the comunidad. This gives Kallari many working parts that are each autonomous from one another.

To start their finca , the campesinos must sembrar the arboles de cacao. During harvesting time, the campesinos cosechan the mazorcas. The asociación collects and sells the cacao from the fincas in their comunidad to the Oficina de Kallari. Kallari pays the campesinos more than the intermediarios who typically buy at low prices from the campesinos and sell at high prices to fabricas of chocolate. Kallari then sends the cacao to the Centro de Acopios to be secar. Here, there is also a small vivero where young arboles de cacao are nurtured.

After the long proceso de secado, Kallari sends the chocolate to their fabrica of chocolate in Quito, four hours north of Tena.


Key for Spanish - English

a la vez - at the same time
cooperativa - cooperative
campesinos - farmers
cacao - cocoa
finca - farm
familia ( s ) - familie ( s )
comunidad ( s ) - community ( ies )
asociación - association
sembrar ( v.) - to sew ( in this case, to plant a tree )
arboles de cacao -cocoa trees
cosechar ( v.) - to harvest
mazorcas - pods ( of cocoa )
oficina de Kallari - office of Kallari
intermediarios - intermediaries
fabricas - factory ( ies )
centro de acopios - collection center
secar ( v.) - to dry
vivero - nursery
proceso de secado - drying process