Tukã Academy
Opening a Window to the World
Simply put, we had a need for organically grown and processed yerba mate. But we also had a want and that want is what sent us to the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest in eastern Paraguay where yerba mate is believed to have originated and where the quality of the yerba mate is unsurpassed. And although our Tukadores had the desire to satisfy our need, in most cases they did not yet have the knowledge or means to satisfy our want. So, we created Tukã Academy to bridge that gap and our Tukanes (Team Tukã) immediately jumped into action.
Our First Step
Our first step was to visit each Tukador ~ yes, all 100 of them, to assess where they were in the process of converting their farm to organic standards. We took the time to listen to each and every farmer so that we could fully understand their desires and the obstacles they faced. From these at times protracted visits, we began to put together and implement individualized plans for each of our Tukadores that included not only field training, but, when necessary or desirable, material support in the form of seedlings, native plants, organic fertilizers, and tools. For example, in 2021 we distributed 25,000 yerba mate plants to our Tukadores. We plan to up this amount in 2022 by providing an additional 50,000 germinated yerba mate seeds (ready for planting) along with 50,000 native tree seedlings which will protect and shade them as they grow.
