The women's cocoa farmer association keeps growing

The Women's Cocoa Farmer Association in Simpang Jernih sub-distrct recently met with our current favorite journalist Michael Bachelard from the Sydney Morning Herald (about which I will say much, much more in the future) and told him about their new Association and future plans.  Staff have been in the two villages for over a week, monitoring the cocoa flowering (improved, even with a very dry couple of months) and checking on the group's progress with their formal application.

Here they are proudly showing off their bylaws and membership regulations. Six new members have joined since last month!  Michael and his associate got to see firsthand their improved cultivation and pruning techniques, and learn about the still extremely difficult life of these rural farming communities on the buffer of the rain forest.

Robert, our "staff photographer,"  should be sending more photos of the trip soon, which I will post immediately!