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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

Sec. Land, Livelihoods and Food Security

This article is part of the Research TopicIndigenous and Local Knowledge as a Catalyst for Sustainable Agriculture and Food SecurityView all 24 articles

Sustainability of the Cocoa Systems in Native Communities of the Imaza District, Amazonas, Peru

Provisionally accepted
Miguel Ángel Barrena GurbillónMiguel Ángel Barrena Gurbillón1Homar Santillan GomezHomar Santillan Gomez1,2Wildor Gosgot AngelesWildor Gosgot Angeles1CARMEN N. VIGOCARMEN N. VIGO1Manuel Alejandro Ix-BalamManuel Alejandro Ix-Balam1Nilton Beltran Rojas BriceñoNilton Beltran Rojas Briceño3MANUEL OLIVA-CRUZMANUEL OLIVA-CRUZ1Diana Carina Mori ServanDiana Carina Mori Servan1Juan Carlo Vásquez NovoaJuan Carlo Vásquez Novoa1Carla Maria Ordinola RamírezCarla Maria Ordinola Ramírez1Merbelita Yalta ChappaMerbelita Yalta Chappa1,2*
  • 1Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza de Amazonas Instituto de Investigacion para el Desarrollo Sustentable de Ceja de Selva, Chachapoyas, Peru
  • 2Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
  • 3Geospatial Information Science Research Group, Research Institute for the Development of Peru, National University of Moquegua, Moquegua, Peru, Moquegua, Peru

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Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) production plays a crucial socioeconomic role in the Peruvian Amazon, particularly among the Indigenous Awajún communities of Imaza, where it serves as the main source of family income. This study aimed to identify sustainability indicators of cocoa production across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, emphasizing the role of ancestral knowledge and local perception of climate change. A total of 120 producers from six Awajún communities (Pakuy, Shushug, Shushui, Shushunga, Uyunsa, and Yangunga) were surveyed using structured questionnaires, direct field observation, and participatory workshops. Statistical analyses (ANOVA, PCA, and MCA) revealed significant differences among communities in annual cocoa production (160 to 770 kg·ha⁻¹.year⁻¹), price per kilogram (8.8–14.7 PEN·kg⁻¹), and access to financial capital (χ²=14.37; p=0.013). The first two PCA components explained 52.6% of the variance, mainly associated with income diversification, market access, and educational level. Communities with irrigation systems and technical assistance (Uyunsa, Pakuy) exhibited higher productivity and income, while isolated ones (Shushug, Yangunga) showed greater vulnerability to climate variability. Traditional practices, such as using Amburana cearensis and Cedrela odorata as shade trees and burying organic residues, improved agroecosystem resilience. The novelty of this research lies in integrating quantitative sustainability metrics with Indigenous ecological knowledge, demonstrating that intercultural, territorially focused policies are essential to strengthening the resilience and equity of Amazonian cocoa systems.

Keywords: sustainable cocoa, Awajún communities, Territorial development, Climate Change, indigenous agroforestry

Received: 14 Jul 2025; Accepted: 19 Nov 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Barrena Gurbillón, Santillan Gomez, Gosgot Angeles, VIGO, Ix-Balam, Rojas Briceño, OLIVA-CRUZ, Mori Servan, Vásquez Novoa, Ordinola Ramírez and Yalta Chappa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Merbelita Yalta Chappa, merbelita.yalta@untrm.edu.pe

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Supplementary Material