By Juan Pablo Crespo
Photos: Liliana Elías
“And why is cocoa called so?” “Why does chocolate come from cocoa?” “How long does a cocoa tree take to bear fruit?” These and many other interesting questions were asked by school children from the school Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro on a visit to Chococao, in the south of Lake Maracaibo, where they learned everything about the wonderful world of cocoa.
The visit was paid by 39 children within the framework of the project known as “Conociendo el cacao”, an initiative that seeks to develop awareness and create strong and empathic bonds between children and Venezuelan cocoa.
This school is located in the South of Maracaibo Lake, a cocoa sub-region shared by states Zulia, Merida, Táchira and Trujillo, in western Venezuela. In this fertile geographical area the Criollo, Porcelana and Guasare cocoas stand out, valued by the global chocolate industry, as well as some which are mixed with forestero..
“This kind of guided activities allow children to know first-hand our cocoa and, therefore, to fall in love with our seed. Keep in mind that one cannot love what one does not know” the teacher Mairilí Araujo explains.
On this tour of Chococao’s facilities, the students were explained the origin of cocoa, cocoa types as well as the whole process it goes through in order to become chocolate … “Chocolate!”, Yes, a kind of magic word that now these 39 children give a non-severable association with cocoa.
For teacher Araujo, the agricultural training of new generations, specifically on cocoa, is essential because Venezuelan countryside needs both who work on it and who defend it as well. “In addition to knowledge, we seek to create that sense of belonging that must exist among children about this South of Lake environment” Then the teacher adds proudly that “you should never lower your guard when it concerns to sowing the seed of knowledge”
It was surprising to see how some children showed their basic knowledge on cocoa and even shared explanations with their classmates. Why was it? Well, because some of their parents or grandparents have a cocoa farm in the subregion and they have grown up in that natural humid, green and jungle environment.
“Theobroma cocoa!”
The children loved learning and repeating the scientific name of cocoa, as well as their ancestral origin.
In Chococao (Zulia) the little ones also had the opportunity to see the drawers for fermentation and drying, key processes to burst the flavours and aromas of cocoa.
Whether they will get engaged in the field or not, what really matters about activities such as “Conociendo el Cacao” (Knowing Cocoa) of school Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro is the development of that empathy of future generations with the countryside as well as their country: Venezuela … “And why do we have the best cocoa in the world? “, A little boy asks in the middle of the room.
