Strengthening Sustainable Value Chains in the Colombian Amazon: A Cacao-Based Agroforestry Model for Bioeconomic Development in Puerto Nariño, Amazonas and Puerto Caicedo, Putumayo

The Colombian Amazon faces persistent tensions between biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods, while territorially grounded productive alternatives remain limited. This study assesses the feasibility of a cacao-based agroforestry system as a sustainable value-chain strategy in Puerto Nariño (Amazonas) and Puerto Caicedo (Putumayo), Colombia. Using participatory action research and mixed methods (100 semi-structured interviews, participatory mapping, techno-economic scenario modeling, and MICMAC structural analysis), the study integrates local knowledge, productivity projections, and territorial governance assessment. The analysis indicates that cacao can be integrated into Amazonian chagra systems without introducing external species, preserving sociocultural compatibility and ecological continuity. Under empirically calibrated productivity assumptions and nine cost–price scenarios, projected annual revenues range from USD 1200 to 2550 per hectare, with an average net present value of USD 3596 over 30 years. MICMAC results identify community governance and institutional articulation as key enabling conditions shaping value-chain feasibility in both territories. Rather than proposing a universal model, the findings suggest that cacao-based agroforestry may strengthen food security and income diversification when embedded in locally legitimate institutions. These results are prospective and should be further assessed through pilot implementations and participatory monitoring.