# Watalinga PLANTATION Type of cacao Forastero / Amelonado hybrids Altitude 900 - 1,200 m Harvest period September - January ### Next Plantation #### Explore PLANTATION The Watalinga cocoa cooperative in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo empowers over 6,000 smallholder farmers through sustainable, organic cacao cultivation near Virunga National Park. By securing fair prices despite regional instability, the association actively reinvests its premiums into vital local infrastructure, including healthcare clinics, schools, and a local university. Location Region Watalinga Country Congo Altitude (MASL) 900 - 1,200 m Details Type of cacao Forastero / Amelonado hybrids Fermentation method/duration Wooden boxes / 5-7 days Harvest period September - January Drying method & Duration Sun-dried on raised beds inside solar greenhouses / 6-8 days Cooperative size (appx number of farmers) ~6,000 network members Biodiversity (Intercropping) Banana, coffee (Arabica/Robusta boundary), vanilla vines, and agroforestry shade trees AMBASSADOR ### The Okapi (Okapia johnstoni) The okapi serves a dual purpose in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, acting as both a vital ecological indicator and a powerful symbol for community-led forest conservation. As an endangered, elusive "forest giraffe" found exclusively in these dense Congolese rainforests, the okapi relies entirely on large, uninterrupted canopies to survive. Because threats like slash-and-burn agriculture and illegal mining fragment its habitat, the presence of the okapi directly signals a healthy, intact ecosystem. Visit our shop Cacao Coorperative Name ESCO KIVU sarl Location Address: 56 Boulevard Nyamwisi, Beni, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo View on Google Maps Contact Phone: +256 752 266 887 (regional contact Uganda) General Email: info@escokivu.com Website www.escokivu.com Instagram @mayamountain Importer Name Original Beans B.V. Contact Mauritskade 64, 1092 AD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone: +49 511 90 88 99 84 General Emails:service@originalbeans.com Website originalbeans.com Instagram @original_beans PRODUCTS ### From Watalinga - Congo Shop all --- Canonical page: https://mikeandbecky.be/plantations/watalinga/ Site guide for AI agents: https://mikeandbecky.be/llms.txt