Over the years, Paula Burdick has become even more passionate about supporting Grenada’s cocoa farmers and protecting the unique ecosystem where cocoa grows. In 2011, Paula founded the Cocoa Farming Future Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting agricultural sustainability, economic development, and the conservation of biological diversity in Grenada.

Partnering with a wide variety of local groups, including the GCA, 4H Clubs, the UN Global Environmental Facility, and local schools and community organizations, CFFI has made remarkable progress on all fronts. Together with the GCA, it has built a model organic cocoa farm with an outdoor demonstration site, where farmers can learn about current best practices in sustainable farming. It has established a successful composting operation to provide farmers with affordable, high-quality organic fertilizer. It is running a series of free seminars on topics like grafting, pruning, and composting, that are helping farmers to improve productivity and sustainability.

Thanks to its inspired and hard-working interns, CFFI is pursuing a number of other projects as well, from a summer camp for children to a crafts cooperative for women, many of them single mothers with young children.

The brilliant and tireless Dorise Kowalewski (left) is the current president of CFFI. 

To learn more about CFFI, please view its website at cffigrenada.org