Delwin’s journey with cocoa began in childhood on her family’s farm in Papua New Guinea. Growing up surrounded by the rhythm of harvests and the scent of fermenting beans, cocoa wasn’t just a crop – it was a way of life.

“My parents were cocoa farmers,” she shares. “Our livelihood was based entirely on cocoa. I was just seven when I learned how to harvest and sell it. Cocoa paid for school fees, medicine – everything.”

Now, as a grown woman and mother herself, Delwin continues the legacy – not only to support her own family, but to help her community thrive. “The earnings from cocoa help me sustain my household,” she says. “It’s how we survive.”
 

The Challenges She Faces

Like many women in cocoa farming, Delwin faces more than her fair share of challenges – especially when it comes to accessing labour and markets.

“As a female farmer, the biggest struggles are finding people to help with labour, getting fair prices, and even just reaching the nearest buying depot – it’s often a long, difficult journey,” she explains. “We also don’t always have consistent access to buyers or transparent pricing.”

What Cocoa Means to Her Community

Cocoa doesn’t just support Delwin’s family – it underpins the well-being of her entire village in rural Papua New Guinea.

“Buying and selling cocoa means survival for us,” she says. “It helps improve our standard of living and covers our basic needs.”

But she’s also candid about the challenges: “Sometimes the money made from cocoa isn’t used wisely. We’ve seen young men in the community spend it on alcohol or gambling. It’s something we’re working hard to change – we want cocoa to be a force for progress.”