"Agroforestry" is a coined word combining
"agriculture" and "forestry."
Known as "agriculture that incorporates the
cultivation of trees," agroforestry
is a farming
method that involves cultivating a variety of
agricultural and forestry
products in symbiosis
with the natural ecosystem on deforested land.
This causes less damage to the environment and
allows for
sustainable long-term use of the soil.
Here, we present how
cacao beans
from Tomé-Açu, Brazil,
grown through agroforestry,
are transformed into chocolate.
Tomé-Açu, in the Brazilian
state of Pará,
is located near the mouth of the
Amazon River in northern Brazil.
Cacao, the raw material of
chocolate,
is grown in this area
through agroforestry.
Restoring degraded land after deforestation
First year
Mimicking a forest ecosystem, pepper and cacao
seedlings are planted
alongside seedlings that
grow into taller trees such as banana trees.
5–10 years later
The taller trees (shade trees)
grow and provide shade, and from about
the third year,
the cacao trees begin to
bear fruit and can be harvested.
20 years later
After 20 years, a natural forest-like
ecosystem is completed, with
trees of
various heights coexisting.
When the cacao arrives in Japan
from Brazil, it is inspected for safety and quality, transported
to a Meiji factory, and processed into chocolate.
The finished chocolate is packaged and
delivered to stores as a product.
1. Environmentally conscious and sustainable
raw materials sourcing
2. Connection with the Brazilian Tomé-Açu region
Meiji will continue to bring delicious flavor
to people in Japan
through agroforestry milk
chocolate, while also promoting agroforestry
farming and supporting farmers’ stable livelihoods.
Through these efforts, we hope to contribute,
even in a small way,
to forest regeneration.
