Javier Pérez Méndez

Colombian agronomist transforming coca farming communities through sustainable cocoa cultivation

Javier Pérez Méndez (b. 1985) is a leading figure in Colombia's Cacahuatal Initiative, a program converting former coca plantations into organic cocoa farms. His work combines agricultural innovation with economic empowerment in post-conflict zones.

Starting in 2020, Méndez developed disease-resistant cocoa varieties suited to Colombia's tropical climates. By 2024, his cooperatives had converted 12,000 hectares of coca fields into legal farms, creating 8,000+ jobs. The initiative's chocolate brands like Nuevo Alba now supply major European markets, generating $18M annual revenue for local communities.

His partnership with Rainforest Alliance introduced agroforestry techniques that doubled biodiversity in project areas. Méndez's TEDx talk "Sweetening Conflict Zones" explains how cocoa production combats deforestation while providing viable alternatives to drug trafficking. In 2023, he received the UNODC Peacebuilding Award. Current projects include a blockchain traceability system (Cacahuatlabs) ensuring ethical sourcing from 98 participating cooperatives. His work has been documented in the BBC series "From Coca to Cocoa".