Vanilla Cloud Forest

The project Vanilla cloud forest is a financial sustainability strategy, based on the conservation, social inclusion and local development.

Located in the western lowlands of Ecuador, in the lower area of the canton of Cotacachi in the historic Intag valley. This project emerges as one of the strategies of conservation, sustainability, and financial and work with the community in the areas of influence of the reserves of the Fundación EcoMinga.
This project seeks to foster a change in the model of intensive agricultural production areas characterized by crops of pitahaya or banana for sustainable harvesting of vanilla; in addition to implementing in their production processes, good agricultural practices, avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers, promoting the use of organic products. Aware of the importance and relevance of women in the communities, this project integrates as executing the same, to strengthen their capacity and recognizing their skills.

Along with our team, well trained and motivated, we offer a high quality product. To do this, we consider important to gain access to certifications, to improve our added value and commitment to conservation and responsible production and sustainable.
To date we have established a culture of vanilla (Vanilla x tahitensis) of 1200 plants, distributed in two greenhouses; the first with an area of 300m2 and the second with an area of 900m2. Under a model of organic fertilization, we expect an increase in the efficiency of our production of 60% by 2024, compared with the production of the 2022 and 2023. We are supporting with sources of employment to four women of the community Villaflora of Manduriacu, generating new alternatives for local development with a gender approach.
2023 is the third year of the project Vanilla Cloud Forest. For the 2024 has managed to fund a third greenhouse with the support of Salome and Florean Fischer, the group of friends of Switzerland. This greenhouse will be implemented in the book Dracula, in the province of Carchi.

Cultivation Of Vanilla In The Cloud Forest

1. Construction of greenhouses

2. Crop establishment

3. Controls and care of the cultivation of vanilla

4. Hand-pollination

5. Harvesting and curing of pods

6. Benefited (the Process of fermentation of vanilla)

7. Packing and storage

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