Magdalena is the Chakra mum of the Kichwa indigenous people in Tena, Napo Province, in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region. The chakra is the family agricultural space that conserves Amazonian biodiversity and preserves indigenous traditions in harmony with nature. Around 1500 Kichwa families and the Kallari association practice sustainable agriculture by producing, processing, and marketing chakra products such as “runa cocoa”, improving community living conditions and preserving biodiversity.

Ecuador is the world´s top producer of fine or flavour cocoa (CFA), accounting for 63% of the global market. Therefore, as deforestation and environmental degradation threaten the Amazon, traditional Kichwa practices offer an example of sustainable agriculture and land empowerment.

70% of the Kallari association's income depends on properly drying cocoa grains. The traditional process of drying indicates drying cocoa beans on a large surface in the open air, leaving it at risk of bacterial growth. To speed up this drying process, farmers used greenhouse dryers and heaters powered by fossil fuels, generating high costs, pollution, and greenhouse gases. Therefore, before implementation of the solar dryer, cocoa production was continuously conditioned by weather factors and the use of polluting, expensive and non-renewable energy.

In this context, solar thermal energy is excellent for cocoa drying. By implementing a solar dryer, 340 families from 22 communities in Tena – including Magdalena the Chakra mum - will benefit from an improved quality of life, through a 10-20% increase in grain availability under the same agricultural production. Using renewable and cleaner energy will enhance cocoa quality and generate economic income for small-scale farmers while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This system allows for long-term storage without compromising quality, and provides a continuous product supply throughout the year, preventing the growth and reproduction of bacteria and fungi. There is also a substantial reduction in grain weight and volume, enabling better land use and labour management through grain storage.

The Geological and Energy Research Institute (IIGE) of the Ministry of Energy of Ecuadro installed of a solar dryer system, which includes a greenhouse with drying tables and solar collectors on the roof. The conservatory complements the drying process, and the air is heated by solar radiation and preheated in the greenhouse before being sent to the drying tables to dry the cocoa grains. Centrifugal and axial fans distribute the air though ducts, while an electric backup allows the system to be used at night. The fan expels moisture from the table and transports the humid air outside. The system adjusts the fan speed according to the solar radiation level, maintaining a constant drying level to prevent the grains from drying excessively, too quickly or too slowly.

Video

Chakra Kichwa Amazonian Kallari ancestral production system, indigenous practice, millennial activity that maintains biodiversity, sociocultural, economic and local governance dynamics, cradle of the Kichwas of Napo. 

(The video is also available directly on YouTube via this link.)

In Ecuador, solar radiation levels remain constant throughout the year, making it convenient to harness solar radiation. This system leads to a continuous supply of the product throughout the year, a reduction in packaging, storage and transportation costs, a significant decrease in the weight and volume of the grain, and economic benefits that improve the brand image. Additionally, the use of solar energy shortened the harvest period and increased profitability in the medium and long term, compensating for the additional installation costs.

The community is avoiding the emission of greenhouse gases and promoting environmental sustainability. As a result, new business opportunities are created for beneficiaries, improving their quality of life. IIGE and GIZ developed a solar dryer manual with preventive maintenance guidelines and future recommendations. Furthermore, the IIGE also offered a workshop on the added value of cocoa-derived products and the utilization of renewable energies in agriculture.

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