Cambodian Cacao by Dame Cacao

A great eye-opener on the Cambodian cacao & chocolate scene, written by Max of Dame Cacao, chocolate traveller.

Cambodia is curry, dusting clay, ancient temples and even older souls, each backdropped by endless green trees. Until it wasn’t, anymore. During the decades since the country opened up to visitors, there have been starts and stops in development, framed by the horrors of genocide and civil war which everyone would rather forget.

Amongst it all are forward-thinking projects, each working to invest in growth that secures a better future. Fighting against them are short-term monetary gains, exemplified by the rubber trees with their pungent sap that leave a stain in your nose. While rubber and palm trees are a problem across Asia, they’re a relatively new addition to the Cambodian landscape, albeit no less problematic.

But the team at KamKav Farm has a vision for remedying this. In the heart of Mondulkiri Province, in eastern Cambodia, they’re establishing the country’s first cacao region. They’re working with local farmers to build a future alongside people who are sometimes too afraid to trust in its existence.

You can find the full article here.