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Articles & Case Studies
The Chocolate Revolution in Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago’s cocoa has long been considered among the best in the world, even though production has been declining for decades. A new generation of artisan chocolatiers are hoping to change that trend — while creating unique world-class chocolate products at home. Franka Philip finds out more..
Time to Grow
In recent years, a handful of NGOs in Trinidad and Tobago have worked to set up community-based agriculture initiatives, both to provide healthier food options and to make local communities more self-sufficient. It’s a movement that has become even more relevant in the time of COVID-19, writes Nazma Muller, as food security becomes crucial
Engaging Rural Communities
...paving the way for an equitable and sustainable future
NOT all environment warriors will be in Glasgow, Scotland, for the highly anticipated COP26 climate summit. Most are continuing their work, campaigning for the environment and sustainable practices that benefit their communities and the wider world, far from the gaze of cameras.
Media Gallery
ARCTT plans to support local community groups and food producers with the development of their new online platform. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture Delegation in Trinidad and Tobago (IICA-TT), leveraged the Director General's special COVID-19 Food and Nutrition Security Fund, to partner with The Cropper Foundation (TCF) to provide grants to support efforts at increasing production and marketing of local agri-food products across Trinidad and Tobago. The Alliance of Rural Communities was a beneficiary of the IICA-TCF small grant.
Take a look inside this Caribbean pop-up shop with multimedia journalist Nayo Campbell. She talks with the shop's creator Gillian Goddard about everything showcased in the shop, including clothing, jewelry, and chocolate! Shot and edited by Alisha Frierson.
Brasso Seco is a cocoa growing community in the lush northern range of Trinidad & Tobago. The Alliance of Rural Communities, founded by Gillian Goddard has made it their mission to help communities like this decolonize cocoa production and realize the full potential of the value chain of this crop through the bean to bar process. Join us on this Brasso Seco Cocoa Tour in collaboration with Afiya Francis of In-Season Tours.
Cocoa beans contain a whole lot of biologically interesting substances, namely caffeine and theobromine – they fight fatigue! – and compounds known to evoke the same chemical response in the brain as falling in love. That’s why girls like chocolate! Cocoa is also incredibly rich in compounds called flavonols, which are potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant chemicals. It is for these flavonols that you want to make your own, unprocessed, chocolate. Processing can degrade a lot of these healthful compounds.
Organic farmer and activist chocolate maker, Gillian Goddard, has a two part workshop entitled Decolonizing Cacao: An Introduction to Indigenous, Colonial and Decolonial Uses of Cacao.