A love letter to the land, the farmers, and the sacred spirit of cacao calling me to remember.
For us at Herbal Cacao, reciprocity is a way of living. It’s about giving back to the people and lands who give so much to us. This year, following a deeply transformative visit to Belize at the end of 2024, a new initiative came to life, one that was born not from strategy but from the heart. It’s called the "Toolbank Project"
For years, I’ve held the desire to create a meaningful give-back program through Herbal Cacao. While we’ve always set aside a portion of our profits to support indigenous Maya cacao communities through our Reciprocity Program, it wasn’t until this recent journey to Belize that the vision became rooted in action. In this blog post, I want to share the heart of this project, its origins, and how you, our beloved community, are a vital part of making it all possible!
My name is Sharon Fernie, and I am the Founder of Herbal Cacao, providing the world with high-quality Herbal Cacao Blends. I have a deep passion for holistic wellness and ancient traditions, and at Herbal Cacao, it's our mission to support our community on their journey of self and spiritual discovery, spreading awareness about the profound benefits of ceremonial cacao and other medicinal adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms.
Here in the "Herbal Cacao Journal" I explore the fascinating world of not just our active medicinal ingredients, but also dive into the world of rituals, ancient healing practices, and modern wellness techniques combined with experiences out of my own life.
So, whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or just beginning your holistic wellness journey, this blog post in the “Herbal Cacao Journal” is your invitation to deepen your understanding of sacred herb & plants and their profound impact on our mind, body, and spirit.
A Personal Journey, How the Toolbank Project Came to Life
As many of you know, I’ve had the profound privilege of visiting Belize and experiencing firsthand the challenges faced by our cacao farmers in the country. While the lush jungles of Belize are breathtaking, they also hold the stories of many families who have been working the land for generations. Their labour is sacred, it’s a connection to the earth that transcends generations, deeply rooted in the sacred practices of the Maya communities.
During my time in Belize, I spent time with the farmers, listened to their stories, and felt the weight of the challenges they face daily. Many struggle with outdated equipment, lack of resources, and the increasing environmental and economic challenges of farming cacao. The wildfires and severe droughts in recent years have worsened these struggles. These environmental changes have caused significant damage to their cacao production, forcing farmers to cut down old trees to create space for new ones, a necessary step to ensure a speedy recovery of their land and to rejuvenate the cacao plants. Without the proper tools to clear the land, these recovery efforts become even more challenging.
But it was in those moments of heartfelt conversations with the farmers that I truly understood the gravity of the situation. Over and over, I heard the same plea:
“Miss Sharon, we really need equipment to get cacao production back on track.”
Their voices were filled with urgency and hope, and it was impossible for me to ignore the responsibility that weighed on my heart. I felt the call to serve in that moment, to step up and help these families who had given so much to the safegaurding of this plant medicine and the right traditions she holds
It was during this trip that I knew we needed to take action. Herbal Cacao could no longer just be a business that sells ceremonial cacao blends. We had a responsibility, not only to provide sacred cacao to our community but to give back to the very people who provide us with the gift of this incredible plant medicine. With this understanding, the Toolbank Initiative was born.
What is the Toolbank?
The Toolbank Initiative is a deeply personal project for us, it's the first major initiative we’ve been able to launch since the donation of the baby cacao trees. In the early days of Herbal Cacao, we weren’t yet generating profits, so I couldn’t give back in the way I dreamed without risking the stability of the business itself. I knew we had to build a strong foundation to ensure our business could thrive before we could fully support the farmers and communities we care so much about.
However, despite the ongoing challenges we still face, I felt a deep calling to start the Toolbank project, even if it meant drawing funds from other areas of the business budget to get it off the ground. It was a chance for us to begin supporting the communities that provide us with the sacred cacao, and I knew this was a commitment we couldn’t ignore. It’s a testament to our values and our belief in reciprocity. Even in our early stages, we wanted to stay true to the essence of Herbal Cacao
We give to those who give to us.
The goal of the Toolbank is simple yet powerful: to give back a portion of our profits to support the Maya cacao farmers and the indigenous communities in southern Belize who have been sharing their wisdom and cacao for centuries.
Each time you make a purchase from Herbal Cacao, part of the proceeds go directly to our reciprocity program to giving back the farmers. The money from our reciprocity program is used for various needs within the communities, from improving farming tools and equipment to supporting education and healthcare for the families who grow our sacred cacao. This project is rooted in the principle of reciprocity, where we give back to those who give to us, fostering a cycle of abundance, respect, and interconnectedness.
The Importance of Supporting Indigenous Communities
The challenges faced by the cacao farmers in Belize are numerous, yet their resilience and dedication to the land are nothing short of inspiring. Many farmers struggle to obtain the necessary resources to continue growing cacao, especially as the global demand for the crop increases. They face challenges such as:
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Access to modern tools and equipment that can help them work the land more efficiently.
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Environmental factors, such as changing weather patterns, that impact their harvests.
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Financial instability, which makes it difficult to sustain their livelihoods without outside support.
The indigenous Maya communities in Belize, in particular, are often left without access to the kind of financial or infrastructural support they need. But despite these challenges, they continue to grow cacao using traditional, sustainable farming methods passed down for generations. These farmers are the guardians of the land, and through our support, we can help them continue their sacred work in a way that supports both their communities and the earth.
Expected Outcomes of the Toolbank Project:
🌱 Increased Cacao Production: With better equipment, farmers will be able to rehabilitate their farms, increasing cacao production and making more beans available for the international market.
🌱 Improved Farmer Livelihoods: Higher yields mean higher incomes for farmers, which will significantly improve their quality of life.
🌱 Sustainable Farm Management: Access to the right tools and training will empower farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices that help reduce deforestation and soil degradation, ensuring the long-term health of the land.
🌱 Strengthened Supply Chain: As farm productivity increases, Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC) will be able to meet the growing international demand for Belizean cacao, ensuring the long-term sustainability of our operations.
Partnering with Maya Mountain Cacao: Empowering the Farmers
To ensure our contributions are making the most significant impact, we’ve partnered with Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC), the centralised fermentation centre for cacao beans in southern Belize. This centre is managed by a 100% Maya team, who work directly with the indigenous cacao farmers in the Toledo region.
Maya Mountain has built a strong model that focuses on ethical, sustainable, and organic cacao farming. They ensure that farmers receive a fair price, often much higher than the market average, for their cacao, while also providing them with the training, tools, and ongoing support they need to thrive.
Through this partnership, MMC plays a central role in the Toolbank Project, as they take full responsibility for the day-to-day operations and implementation. Here’s how MMC ensures the success of the Toolbank:
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Farmer Training: MMC’s team provides hands-on training to farmers on the proper use, care, and maintenance of the tools, ensuring the longevity of the equipment and reducing the risk of accidents.
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Farm Rehabilitation Support: With access to modern tools, farmers can rehabilitate older cacao trees, clear land for new planting, and adopt more sustainable farming practices, increasing both their productivity and their environmental impact.
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Monitoring and Evaluation: MMC’s field officers regularly monitor the progress of the Toolbank Project to assess the impact on farm productivity and the overall livelihoods of the farmers.
By partnering with Maya Mountain Cacao, we are amplifying the effectiveness of the Toolbank Project and ensuring that every tool, training session, and dollar spent has a direct and lasting impact on the lives of the farmers.
How Your Purchase Helps: Making a Difference
When you purchase Herbal Cacao products, you’re not just buying ceremonial cacao, you’re becoming part of something much larger. You’re helping to empower indigenous communities, support sustainable farming practices, and foster a cycle of reciprocity that benefits everyone. The funds raised through the Toolbank are already making a tangible difference.
Here are just a few of the ways your support is helping:
✅ Improved access to farming equipment: Many farmers now have access to better tools, which makes their work more efficient and less taxing on the environment.
✅ Healthcare and education: We’ve been able to contribute to the development of better healthcare facilities and educational opportunities for farmers and their families, ensuring they have the resources to thrive in all aspects of life.
✅ Economic empowerment: By ensuring that the farmers are paid fairly and equitably for their cacao, we are empowering them to build sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their communities.
The Future of the Toolbank Initiative
As we continue to grow and evolve as a business, we will remain committed to the Toolbank Project. This initiative is not a one-time donation, it’s a long-term commitment to reciprocity, sustainability, and community.
We are excited to expand the impact of the Toolbank, and we have big plans for the future:
✨ Expanding the number of farmers we support, providing more families with the resources they need.
✨ Creating new opportunities for the next generation of cacao farmers, ensuring that the traditions of Maya cacao continue for generations to come.
✨ Building stronger partnerships with other indigenous communities and organizations who share our values.
You Are Part of This Journey!
To all of you who have purchased Herbal Cacao products, shared our mission, or simply shown support in any way, thank you! You are part of this journey. Your purchases are making a difference in the lives of indigenous farmers and their families, and you are helping us honor the sacred tradition of cacao.
As we move forward with this project, we invite you to continue walking alongside us. Together, we can create a ripple effect of positive change that touches lives, empowers communities, and makes the world a better place for all, 1-sip at a time!
