New Insect Species Discovered in Bolivia's Cocoa; Colombia Advances Processing

Researchers in Bolivia's Alto Beni region identified more than 4,000 specimens of previously undocumented insects associated with organic cacao farms. The study, presented in a book on July 25 2026, classified the entomofauna into predators and parasitoids, pollinators and decomposers, highlighting their ecological roles for crop fertility and productivity. The work was led by Fernando Guerra of the National Museum of Natural History and carried out by the Fundación Programa de Implementación Agroforestal, the Central Regional Cooperative El Ceibo, Fundación PROINPA and WWF Bolivia.

In Colombia's Huila department, cacao growers are shifting from selling raw beans to processing the crop into liquor, powder, butter and other value‑added products. Associations in Algeciras, Campoalegre, Gigante and Rivera received technical support from the regional government’s Secretaría de Agricultura y Minería, which inspected processing facilities and outlined infrastructure needs. The initiative aims to retain more of the product’s value locally and open access to higher‑price international markets.