Cordillera Chocolate has begun the next phase of its ATENEA women’s empowerment programme, tailoring training to participants’ needs in partnership with cocoa-growing communities.
Two cohorts are scheduled to begin in January 2027 in parallel across the Colombian departments of Magdalena and Cesar. Approximately six cocoa-farming associations are expected to participate in the programme, which will run for approximately 12 to 14 months.
The expansion follows the graduation of more than 100 women cocoa farmers from ATENEA’s second cohort in Córdoba earlier this year. Since its 2023 launch, the programme has graduated more than 200 women.
Participants in the Córdoba cohort came from four cocoa-producing associations and received training in chocolate entrepreneurship, financial management, leadership and sustainable cocoa production.
Communities Help Shape the Programme
During the October consultation phase, the ATENEA team is meeting women cocoa farmers, community representatives, and other local stakeholders to identify participants’ priorities and decide what to include in the curriculum.
“It’s not about us. It’s about them. So, it's essential to first understand their reality in order to evaluate the relevance of what they will discover and how it will impact their lives over the year,” said Jorge León, Sustainability Manager at Cordillera Chocolate.
The findings will inform the training delivered from January. By running two cohorts simultaneously, Cordillera aims to extend ATENEA into more cocoa-growing regions and support women cocoa farmers across Colombia.
The programme is delivered in partnership with the Procurement and Agricultural Development Department of Compañía Nacional de Chocolates.
Building on Success in Córdoba
ATENEA’s second edition delivered 376 hours of training to women from four cocoa-producing associations in Córdoba. These associations supply cocoa beans to Compañía Nacional de Chocolates, the company behind the Cordillera Chocolate brand.
SENA, Colombia’s National Learning Service, and Développement International Desjardins (DID), a Canadian organisation specialising in financial inclusion, supported the programme.
Training covered four areas:
Chocolate Processing and Entrepreneurship: A 288-hour module delivered through SENA’s Emprende Rural programme with Cordillera’s team of chefs. Participants developed skills in baking, pastry, chocolaterie, food safety and quality management. The module supported the development of eight business ventures, while participants also attended national events including Chocoshow in Bogotá in November 2025. ATENEA will invite more graduates to exhibit alongside Cordillera at the 2026 event.
Financial Education for Rural Women: Training tailored to rural women covered income management, production costs, expenditure, savings and access to credit. A financial fair brought together 13 local and national organisations, and 110 participants graduated from this module.
Leadership and Women’s Empowerment: Two workshops and a leadership gathering helped participants address barriers to education and income while identifying opportunities for personal, family and professional development.
Sustainable Agronomic Management: Six practical sessions covered plant-material production, Good Agricultural Practices, biodiverse agroforestry systems, cocoa physiology and pruning, integrated pest and disease management, and crop nutrition.
More than 100 graduates attended the closing ceremony for the Córdoba cohort. During a panel discussion led by León, participants spoke about their achievements and the programme’s effect on their families and communities.
Sayuri Roqueme, a member of the Activa G10 association in Tierralta, Córdoba, said: “With Atenea, we discovered that we, as women, have the strength to provide for our families, improve our livelihoods, and above all, create a better future for our communities and territory”.
Olga Osorio, a member of the Integrasinú association in Tierralta, said: “ATENEA awakened me. I no longer aspire just to grow and sell cacao. I can contribute to the environment, unite my family and continue the steps of transformation”.
ATENEA aims to strengthen Colombia’s cocoa value chain by helping rural women develop practical skills, establish enterprises and take a greater role in decision-making.
The initiative supports five United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: No Poverty; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Decent Work and Economic Growth; and Partnerships for the Goals.
About Cordillera Chocolate
Cordillera Chocolate is the business-to-business chocolate brand of Compañía Nacional de Chocolates S.A.S., a Grupo Nutresa company. It supplies Sustainable Latin American Chocolate ingredients to industrial and foodservice customers, including chefs, entrepreneurs and students.
The brand’s purpose is “to make the world a more just and sustainable place by empowering every hand that touches our chocolate to transcend”.
Cordillera operates in 22 countries. Its core markets include Colombia, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. It also serves customers in the United Arab Emirates and other parts of Asia.
- For more information, visit chocolatecordillera.com or follow @cordillerachocolates on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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