Agrocalidad Ecuador and the European Union, through the European AL-INVEST Verde programme and the SAFE programme of the German-GIZ cooperation, have trained more than 100 actors from the public sector, private sector, producers, academia and cooperation in sustainable cocoa production in Ecuador.

AL-INVEST Green supports the establishment of the Cacao Ecuador Coalition and the implementation of its activities. The Cacao Ecuador Coalition is an initiative that brings together all key actors in the cocoa chain, with the aim of working together to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of the sector.

The AL-INVEST Verde programme, through its Component 1, has been promoting the implementation of nine projects in Brazil, which aim to benefit small and medium-sized enterprises. These initiatives were presented in Sao Paulo at a Technical Meeting that included the participation of local experts in panel discussions dedicated to the circular economy, as well as the progress of the green transition of Brazilian SMEs.

Component 2 organised in Montevideo (Uruguay) the workshop "Environmental traceability systems" to promote technical exchange on the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Free Regulation (EUDR) in Mercosur countries. Support was provided by the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) and the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation (AUCI).

The Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) of Uruguay and AL-INVEST Verde/Componente 2 presented the results of the project "Certification of Agroexportable Products in Native Forest Lands", implemented through the Centre for Applied Research on Agroforestry Development (IDAF).

Component 1 held its first Webinar, organised by CAINCO on Sustainable Finance, a space to encourage Latin American institutions and SMEs to adopt sustainable finance practices, thus contributing to the development of the region.