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ABOUT ME :D
ABOUT ME :D
Hello! I am Diane Arevalo a third-year transfer student! My major is Structural Engineering and I am taking this class because I find food and culture an important part of social life and I want to learn more about it.
The picture shown here is me and my sibling at Walt Disney World. As you can see we are all very much big Disney fans. I'm the one in the middle; which is funny because I am the middle child in my family. My sister on the left is the oldest out of us in the group.
*Here is a summarization of my paper, highlighting the points I made in my PowerPoint but more full fledge. For the full writing, I did; it's on my paper on Canvas!*
CACAO
CACAO
GIFT FROM THE GODS
by Diane Arevalo
History of the Cacao Bean
History of the Cacao Bean
Let us go back to 500-1900 BC to Mesoamerica, currently better now known as México; here, the cacao tree initially originated. Through findings and testing, the Olmecs first used the cacao bean. Scientists tested the residue in pots and pottery, and theobromine was found in some of the pots.[i] Theobromine is the chemical formula of the cacao bean, proving that this ancient civilization had used the cacao bean either for food or medicinal effects. Moving down the timeline, we see the effective use of the cacao bean in Mayan cultures. The Maya created an idol out of the cacao bean tree. As the legend states, the belief that the cacao bean was given to the people by their god Hunahpú, the maize god[ii]. It was more than a food item. It was a divine delicacy that later on was then given to a god itself called Ykchaua or Ek Chuahin for the Yucatán Maya, the cacao producer. [iii] On the other hand, it was believed that the feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl, was the one to give the Aztecs and the Toltecs the cacao bean tree. The belief was that Quetzalcoatl gave the cacao tree to the people to bring them more knowledge and power.[iv]
Cited Work:
[i] Garthwaite, J. (2015, February 12). What we know about the earliest history of chocolate. Smithsonian.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/archaeology-chocolate-180954243/#:~:text=The%20Olmecs%20of%20southern%20Mexico,Museum%20of%20the%20American%20Indian.
[ii] Windelspecht, D. (2016, April 14). Cacao: The Mayan "food of the gods" • ricochet science. Ricochet Science. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://ricochetscience.com/cacao-mayan-food-gods/
[iii] Bingham, Ann; Roberts, Jeremy (2010). South and Meso-American Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. p. 18-19. ISBN 978-1-4381-2958-7.
[iv] Bingham, Ann; Roberts, Jeremy (2010). South and Meso-American Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. p. 18-19. ISBN 978-1-4381-2958-7.
Area of Focus
Area of Focus
The climate is changing:
The cacao bean comes from the cacao tree. These trees need a hot tropical climate of 65-90 degrees Fahrenheit to grow successfully. Typically, these locations need to be about below 2000 ft elevation, making the perfect place to have cacao farms closer to the equator. The region around Brazil, Colombia, and Peru provides plenty of rainfall with soil drainage and copious amounts of shade. Now many believe that since such a vast area grows these trees, there should be an abundance of cacao trees. Unfortunately, that is wrong due to a few main issues. Most of the countries that have these farms are being affected by the changing climate. The climate's effect on the production of the cacao bean has up the demand and left very little for supply. We have seen the effects of climate change happening more with each passing year. The fact is that it is not the heat that is affecting production. It is the lack of humidity[i].
The enslavement of children:
Research and reports show that about 1.56 million children[i] are enslaved in these farms, specifically the cacao farms in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. About 60% of the world's cacao production comes from these locations[ii], and many chocolate companies around the globe use the harvested product. Sadly, many of these children are trafficked or sold by their own family members to cacao farms.[i] The families cannot support the children or cannot get them an education, so in a promise that they may be taken care of, they sell them to traffickers or cacao farms. Most of the children on these farms are between the ages of 12 to 16, but there were reports of children ages five and up working on these farms.
Cited Work:
[i] “Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking.” Bureau of International Labor Affairs. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/our-work/child-forced-labor-trafficking Accessed Mar. 23. 2022
[i] Child Labor in the Production of Cocoa. (n.d.). DOL. http://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/our-work/child-forced-labor-trafficking/child-labor-cocoa
[ii] Child Labor in the Production of Cocoa. (n.d.). DOL. http://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/our-work/child-forced-labor-trafficking/child-labor-cocoa
[i] Scott, M. (2016, February 10). Climate & chocolate. NOAA Climate.gov. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-and/climate-chocolate
A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow
For Climate Change:
The plan is to make more sustainable farming techniques and bio-diversify crops and minimize their carbon footprint.[i] Some sustainable farming techniques would be rotating crops; this would allow for a variety of crops to diversify with other crops, allowing for healthier soil and even improving pest control.[ii] The best solution that fits cacao bean production is the agroforestry practice. The agroforestry farming method is where trees are mixed in with the crops.[i] They are allowing and providing natural shade and shelter that would protect plants, animals, and water resources. Another great way to help cacao trees is to leave the natural vegetation in the areas these trees are planted.
Ending Child Enslavement/Labor:
Ending slavery should be a procedure that can be ended efferently if the production and country leaders work together, but that is not the case. It does take the help of many programs to bring attention to the mistreatment the children have suffered. With the help of agencies like the Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the United States of America and the United Nations, light is shining on this topic to help end child slavery in any production supply chain. Specifically for cacao supply production, there was the formation of the Child Labor Cocoa Coordinating Group (CLCCG); this group takes apart the abusive labor practices seen in cacao bean production. It also brings in representatives of the major chocolate companies, civil society, governments, and international organizations to focus on creating solutions to prevent further labor practices that enslave children and people.[i]
Works Cited:
[i] Child Labor in the Production of Cocoa. (n.d.). DOL. http://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/our-work/child-forced-labor-trafficking/child-labor-cocoa
[i] Agroforestry. (n.d.). Agroforestry | USDA. https://www.usda.gov/topics/forestry/agroforestry
[i] Vision & Mission | World Cocoa Foundation. (n.d.). World Cocoa Foundation. https://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/about-wcf/vision-mission/
[ii] What Is Sustainable Agriculture? (2017, April 10). Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/what-sustainable-agriculture
Conclusion
Conclusion
Cacao bean has been integrated into every person's life, whether by knowing it or enjoying the treats it can be created from, like chocolate. The cacao bean comes from a long history interwoven into ancient and new cultures. The cacahutal is believed to be a gift from the gods as told by the ancient Mayan. A gift that now expanded across the globe the moment the Spaniards decided to take it back to Europe. Then the moment it hit Europe and spread to the Americas was when the demand grew and grew even more once the combination of milk, sugar, and cacao beans mixed into what we now know as chocolate. In demand for more chocolate, issues began to arise, beginning with inadequate farming techniques that caused environmental issues.
Moreover, when production was taking a hit, and farms had to compensate for the demand and cost, they began using children for the labor part of the supply chain. Then it became apparent that more injustices for cutting corners in the supply chain of the production of cacao beans. Children became enslaved, and the working conditions worsened with the use of chemicals to handle pests and worse living conditions. The production of the cacao bean should not have a dark side as it does, but the thing about human culture is to make matters right. In the ever-changing climate, more sustainable ways exist to farm and bio-diversify cacao bean crops. To battle the enslavement of children, we have international programs to intervene and create ways to prevent further enslavement and abolish the system that has been in place that prevents change in the production of the cacao bean. Changes like this will help make cacao bean production more morally human and last longer for generations to enjoy the richness of the cacao beans.
THANK YOU :D
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