International Cocoa Congress in Costa Rica

30-09-25

From October 7 to 9, 2025, the CATIE Campus (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) in Turrialba, Costa Rica, will host in one single space more than 30 organizations and experts from 15 countries, representing the academic, public, private, and development sectors, to share knowledge, experiences, and success stories at the International Cocoa Congress.

This important event, aimed at technicians, researchers, producers, students, decision-makers, farm managers, and project coordinators linked to cocoa cultivation, will serve as a key meeting and networking point for the various actors of the cocoa value chain, academia, and organizations related to this important crop. The program will include a total of 33 presentations focused on key topics such as genetics, sustainable productivity, bio-economy, grain quality, among many others, presented by experts in each field. Keynote speakers include Mr. Albert Scalla (Senior Vice President of Trading at StoneX Group Inc., USA – Peru), Mr. Javier Mendez (Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests, Costa Rica), Dr. Siela Maximova (Penn State University, USA), Dr. Eduardo Somarriba (CATIE, Nicaragua-Costa Rica), and Mrs. Claire Biason-Lohier (The Voice Network, France).

The Congress will also generate opportunities and connections to strengthen the cocoa value chain, while promoting good practices and concepts such as fair, competitive, and regionally impactful cocoa. Its clear objective is to drive modernization, reactivation, and sustainability of cocoa in the region, fostering decent incomes and resilience in cocoa-growing territories.

As part of the event, and to complement the robust agenda of presentations and Q&A sessions during the first two days, there will also be a poster session—a space designed to share research in a clear, visual, and accessible format, aiming to communicate relevant findings concisely and capture the interest of the audience. Additionally, field trips are scheduled for the third day (October 9) at three locations: CATIE’s International Cocoa Collection, RAUSH Tres Equis Farm, and Dos Lagunas Agroforestry Estate.

The in-person activity is fully booked, but virtual tickets will also be available for those wishing to participate remotely, with access to the opening lecture and keynote presentations.

More information and the full agenda of the event at: congresocacao.catie.ac.cr

Contacts:

Luis Orozco Aguilar – luisoroz@catie.ac.cr

Training Area – capacitacion@catie.ac.cr

In collaboration with:

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