Cardamom Cardamom (GuatemalaHonduras)

Why Guatemala?

Guatemala is one of the world’s leading producers of cardamom, and for good reason. Its high-altitude forests, rich volcanic soil, and consistent rainfall create the perfect environment for cardamom to flourish. In regions where doTERRA sources its Cardamom essential oil, farmers have cultivated this crop for decades, developing an intimate understanding of the land and climate.

Here, cardamom is more than a crop—it’s a way of life. While much of Guatemala’s cardamom is exported for culinary use, doTERRA’s partnership with local growers provides an additional, sustainable income stream through essential oil production. Nimlajacoc is located in Alta Verapaz, and the name means “the big river of the turtle” in Q’eqchi’. The community is indigenous Mayan, with agriculture as the main livelihood. doTERRA’s sourcing partner has worked with organic producers here since 2020. This collaboration supports families and communities while honoring the traditional knowledge that makes Guatemalan cardamom so exceptional.

Why Honduras?

In select regions of Honduras, the climate mirrors that of Guatemala’s cardamom-growing highlands—humid, shaded, and rich in biodiversity. Though cardamom is a newer crop here, it holds great promise. Farmers who once relied solely on bananas and sugar cane are now diversifying their livelihoods with cardamom, bringing new economic opportunities to rural communities.

doTERRA’s sourcing in Honduras supports these pioneering growers as they build expertise and infrastructure. With guidance and training, they are producing high-quality cardamom that meets the same rigorous standards as more established regions, while also contributing to the long-term sustainability of their land.

How does it work?

Growing and Harvesting

Cardamom belongs to the ginger family and thrives in shaded, tropical environments. The plants take two to three years to begin producing fruit and can continue for up to seven years. Each seedpod contains 10 to 20 tiny black seeds, protected by a delicate green husk. Harvesting is done by hand, often on steep, forested slopes—requiring skill, patience, and a deep familiarity with the plant’s growth cycle.

Farmers who grow cardamom for doTERRA are experts in their environment. They know the rhythms of the rain, the richness of their soil, and the precise moment when a pod is ready to be picked. Their commitment to quality ensures that only the best cardamom is selected for essential oil production.

Our sourcing partner has implemented regenerative agricultural practices for cardamom cultivation, including shade grown cardamom which also provides biodiversity and increases soil water retention and decreases erosion on the steep slopes. Approximately 180 hectares of land is cultivated with organic practices including composting and natural fertilizers to restore soil and reduce erosion.

Distillation

Once harvested, the pods are carefully dried—typically for about 36 hours—reducing their weight to a fifth of their fresh form. The seeds are then steam-distilled, a process that takes several hours and requires careful temperature control to preserve the oil’s delicate aromatic compounds.

The result is a pure, potent essential oil that captures the warm, spicy-sweet aroma of cardamom in every drop. It’s a testament to the dedication of the farmers, the richness of the land, and the power of nature—brought to you through doTERRA’s commitment to responsible sourcing.

Building Supplier Capacity in Guatemala

doTERRA Co-Impact Sourcing supports training for cardamom farmers in Guatemala, which teaches farmers the best practices for growing cardamom including seed selection, planting, harvesting, and plant care. Farmers are provided with bi-weekly training sessions and hands-on experience so they can see the positive effects of these techniques in their own fields. As a result of these trainings, farmers should have a higher quality and increased quantity of cardamom, and therefore, also receive a higher price for their product.

Guatemala – Regenerating Forests, Communities, and Futures

Rooted in Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge In Nimlajacoc, Alta Verapaz, Q’eqchi’ farmers are leading a regenerative movement. Since 2022, doTERRA’s sourcing partner has launched a comprehensive Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) covering 37 km² in the cardamom-producing regions of Nimlajacoc and Carchá, Guatemala. Between 2022 and early 2025, over 22,900 trees were planted across six communities, with a target of 60,000–70,000 trees by 2028. The plan integrates native, fruit-bearing, and commercially valuable species to restore degraded ecosystems, protect water sources, and diversify farmer incomes. Community-led biodiversity monitoring, soil conservation training, and a tree incentive program further ensure that ecological restoration is deeply rooted in producer participation and long-term sustainability.

In 2025, doTERRA’s sourcing partner in Guatemala conducted a High Conservation Value (HCV) assessment in the cardamom-producing regions of Nimlajacoc and Tanchi Chimo, confirming the area’s exceptional ecological and cultural significance. The study identified critical conservation values, including endangered species like the howler monkey and jaguar, and highlighted the region’s role as a biodiversity corridor between Laguna Lachuá National Park and the Visis Cabá Biosphere Reserve. Community engagement revealed strong reliance on forests for water, food, medicine, and cultural identity, particularly among Q’eqchi’ Maya families. The assessment also underscored the urgent need to reduce firewood dependence—especially from the 25 wood-fueled dryers in Nimlajacoc—by scaling up cleaner technologies like gas-powered dryers.

These findings remind us that every bottle of doTERRA cardamom essential oil is part of a bigger story—one that seeks to protect endangered species, restore fragile ecosystems, and honor the deep connection between people and the land. By supporting conservation and sustainable practices in Guatemala, we’re helping preserve biodiversity and cultural heritage for generations to come.

Cleaner Drying, Healthier Communities The shift from wood-fired to gas-powered cardamom dryers has begun. In Tanchi Chimo, the first gas dryer is already improving environmental and occupational health. With technical and financial support, more communities are joining the transition.

A Holistic Approach to Wellbeing

• 22,000 trees planted

• 180 hectares cultivated organically

• High Conservation Value assessment and biodiversity corridor

• Composting and natural fertilizers restore soil and reduce erosion

• Living wage training promotes dignity for informal workers

• WASH infrastructure (toilets, showers, baths) built based on community priorities

• Women are actively included in training, leadership, and decision-making

This UEBT-verified supply chain is a living example of how sourcing can center dignity, equity, and environmental justice—starting at the source.

Building Supplier Capacity with the Poverty Stoplight Project

The Poverty Stoplight is a social innovation tool designed to help families and communities lift themselves out of poverty by identifying and addressing their specific needs. Originally developed by Fundación Paraguaya, it has been implemented in various parts of Central America and beyond. In Western Honduras, doTERRA’s sourcing partner introduced the Poverty Stoplight methodology to support 26 cardamom-producing families across six rural communities. This innovative tool helped families assess their living conditions across multiple dimensions—such as housing, income, and education—using a simple red-yellow-green system. Families then selected personal goals to improve their quality of life, while doTERRA’s sourcing partner used the data to design targeted investments, including a gas-powered cardamom dryer and training in sustainable farming practices.

The project unfolded in two phases, beginning with a pilot in 2022 and expanding in 2023. By 2025, 13 families had completed a second Stoplight assessment, revealing significant progress—especially in agroproductive development, where green indicators rose by over 36%. The second phase, expanded the reach to 26 families—representing approximately 100 individuals—and introduced a major investment: a gas-powered cardamom dryer. This dryer, along with training in sustainable farming practices, was a timely response to climate-related challenges that severely impacted the 2023–2024 harvest season. These improvements were especially meaningful given these recent challenges. The project also supported road maintenance, formalized a local producer association, and introduced new crops to explore income diversification.

In August 2024, doTERRA’s sourcing partner, in collaboration with LeLabo and ConstruCasa, completed the construction of composting latrines for 12 cardamom-producing families in Nimlajacoc, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. This initiative was part of the 2022 multidimensional poverty assessment, which identified dignified sanitation as a critical need. The project was executed with strong community involvement, including family contributions to logistics and hospitality. Producers expressed deep satisfaction with the quality, speed, and cleanliness of the construction, and praised the appropriateness of the composting solution for the region’s environmental conditions. The inauguration event fostered trust, celebrated community, and highlighted the essential role of women and families in the harvest process—underscoring doTERRA’s commitment to long-term, respectful, and empowering relationships with sourcing communities.

The families involved represent a diverse and resilient community. On average, each household includes nearly four members, often spanning multiple generations. Most participants are men around the age of 48, with 81% relying on agriculture as their primary income. The remaining families are engaged in teaching, construction, or entrepreneurship. Through this initiative, doTERRA’s sourcing partner has helped build a foundation for long-term resilience and self-reliance in Honduras’s cardamom-producing regions. At the start, the community reported a poverty depth of 35%.

After just two years, the community had eliminated 21% of those self-assessed poverty indicators.

One farmer, Margarito, shared how this process empowered him to better manage his finances and save enough to build a home with indoor plumbing for his family.

He said, “It’s taught me how to march forward in life!….If I’m blessed to live more life, there will be more things to accomplish.”

Empowering Cardamom Farmers: The stoplight Program Revealed! YouTube Video