CATIE launches the second edition of the Professional Diploma Program in Cacao
- The International Professional Diploma Program (DPI) Profitable and Resilient Cacao officially began on May 11.
On May 11, the official opening of the International Professional Diploma Program (DPI) Profitable and Resilient Cacao, promoted by CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), took place. This DPI represents an opportunity to strengthen technical capacities for all those interested in promoting the sustainability of the cacao sector in the LAC region. The academic program is designed to update knowledge, farm management practices and sustainability strategies for companies, projects and professionals involved in cacao production, management and commercialization.
Classes will take place from May to October 2026 in a 100% virtual format. The DPI has a duration of 120 hours and is structured into three modules: Agronomy and Cacao Farm Management, Agroforestry and Environmental Services, and Quality, Traceability and Sustainability.
Each module combines synchronous and asynchronous sessions, thematic forums with experts, individual and group practical assignments, continuous assessments and 24/7 access to the CATIE Virtual Campus.
The 2026 edition of the DPI includes 85 participants from 15 countries in the LAC region, in addition to participants from the United States, France and the United Kingdom. Women represent nearly 38% of the participants.
The inaugural session included the participation of more than 70 people, and from the CATIE team the following representatives were present: Dr. Rolando Cerda, Leader of the Agroforestry and Genetic Improvement Unit for Coffee and Cacao; Dr. Luis Orozco; Dr. Mónica Arias, Ph.D., Coordinator of the Agroforestry Platform; Mariela E. Leandro Muñoz, Ph.D., DPI instructor; Arlene Lopez Sampson, Ph.D.; and M.Sc. Chelsia Moraes, members of the coordinating team of the 2026 DPI.
During the welcome session, several participants shared their expectations about being part of the 2026 DPI and highlighted the following:
“It is important, especially for Latin American countries, to come together around cacao crop management and to understand the potential we have in each of our regions,” said Hernando Morales from Colombia.
“I have been working here in the province of Satipo, a tropical area located in the heart of Peru, in the central region. We have already been working for three years with organic cacao and other certifications related to social and sustainable value. We are also learning about agroforestry, and I am very interested and eager to learn and share with everyone participating in this diploma program,” stated Grober Galindo from Peru.
“It is an opportunity to learn about practices, what producers are doing, clonal arrangements, hybrids and the different ways producers carry out their work. It is a networking opportunity and an enrichment of all the experiences shared, which helps us apply and implement them in what we are doing here in the Dominican Republic,” commented Jhonnel Silvera Torres from the Dominican Republic.
“I am very excited to understand, learn and share with all of you, because the most enjoyable part of this is that we have people from all over the world. So, in a way, it will be very, very interesting to see how things work in all the different places,” said Jonas Rosales from the United Kingdom..
“I want to especially thank the CATIE team for providing us with these tools and all this knowledge, mainly because the work you are doing is very demanding and you are sharing it with us,” concluded Justin Vega from Ecuador.
We are confident that this new edition of the DPI will be successful and that it will contribute significantly to strengthening the knowledge and collaboration network of the cacao sector in the LAC region.
More information:
Luis Orozco Aguilar
+(506) 6434-9501
Chelsia Moraes
+(506)25582088
Arlene López-Sampson
+(506) 6075-2420
Written by:
Chelsia Moraes
Research assistant
Agroforestry and Genetic Improvement Unit for Coffee and Cacao, CATIE
