Building a brighter future through the CACAU project
Determined to cultivate his future, Adrian Masawa joined the Climate Smart and Inclusive Cocoa in Usino (CACAU) Project in the Usino-Bundi District of Madang Province.
At the age of 26, when the project began, Adrian saw this as an opportunity to build a stable future, so he willingly embraced the chance for change. For any young man like Adrian in a rural setting, hoping for a brighter future is paramount.
Adrian was optimistic that this initiative, funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), would transform not only his life but also the lives of his parents, siblings, and future family. Adrian took ownership of his land and future, and together with his mother, joined the Gigaso Cocoa Cooperative.
As time passed, Adrian realised that the CACAU project was more than just about making money; it taught him to appreciate the land and resources he owned and to take pride in his identity as a local from Iguruwe village. Once he became a registered cocoa farmer and with technical support from World Vision Papua New Guinea, he planted his first 300 clonal cocoa seedlings, an improved plant material.
"When the project started in 2022, World Vision PNG distributed 300 cocoa seedlings, which I planted. It took twelve months for the cloned cacao trees to flower and bear fruit. Last year, in 2024, I made my first harvest," Adrian recalled.
The CACAU Project was designed not only to create economic opportunities but also to instill knowledge and good cocoa farming practices that promote sustainable climate-smart farming and community collaboration. For Adrian, it became a driving force for personal growth and the start of a long-term vision for his future, family, and community.
From his first harvest, Adrian sold wet cocoa beans, and he realised that the price of cocoa was worth the labor. This motivated him to continue planting more seedlings while also pursuing Early Childhood Learning and Care through the University of Goroka’s Institute of Distance and Flexible Learning, where he enrolled in 2023.
As part of the CACAU Project, Adrian also gained vital skills in financial management. “Through this project, I learned how to save for other assets from the income. I started saving to build a combination dryer, which would enable me to ferment and sell dry beans. After saving enough, I began purchasing roofing irons, cement, and steel posts. With my family's help, I built this fermenting facility," he shared.
Currently, he is halfway through completing a combination dryer so he can start to ferment and sell dry beans as well.
Balancing his responsibilities as a student and farmer, Adrian relies heavily on the support of his parents and also maintains self-discipline to juggle both his studies and farming.
"I work full-time during semester breaks, and in the mornings, I wake up early to work in my cocoa block. I reserve the afternoons for my studies," Adrian explained
With bigger dreams for his cocoa farm, Adrian is looking forward to harvesting his second batch of cocoa at the end of May 2025. This will include additional cocoa from his other block. By this time, his combination dryer will be ready to start the processing of dry cocoa beans.
Adrian now recognises that the CACAU Project has equipped him with the tools to handle challenges in farming and beyond. The skills he has acquired go beyond cocoa farming, teaching life lessons in resilience, adaptability, and innovation.
He draws support from his devoted parents, Samuel and Kiwis Masawa, who are also small-scale cocoa farmers in Iguruwe, owning 2.5 hectares of cocoa blocks. Adrian’s pillar of strength is his father, Samuel, a self-taught agriculture guru, who demonstrates hard work on the land.
Now in his final year of studies, Adrian has big dreams for when he graduates at the end of this year. He plans to continue farming cocoa even after gaining a teaching qualification. CACAU Project inspired Adrian to think big but start small with the slogan “liklik toktok, hat wok na kaikai”, translated talk less, work hard and enjoy the benefits.
"My dream as a cocoa farmer is to one day own a cocoa plantation while also pursuing a teaching career. I want to create employment opportunities for my family and the community and to impart the knowledge I gained through this project to other young people," says Adrian.
His ambitions are a testament to the CACAU Project’s emphasis on building resilient communities by empowering individuals to envision and create a better future through partnerships, cooperative production, processing and sales together with knowledge and benefit sharing.
For Adrian, the CACAU Project is more than just economic benefits; it’s about appreciating the land, collaborating with family and community, and foreseeing what the cocoa blocks can do for the people of the Gigaso community in the long run.
The CACAU project has demonstrated the profound impact that sustainable initiatives can have on rural communities by fostering empowerment, family and community unity, education, and social and economic stability.
With the generous support from the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Adrian’s journey in the project shines as a symbol of hope and progress, proving that meaningful change is possible with the right tools, knowledge, skill sets and opportunities.
