When you think of cocoa, you probably imagine rich, dark pods hanging from trees in some lush grove. But behind every plantation, there’s a story; a story that rarely makes it to the label, the wrapper, or the marketing. And in the case of Asakgre village in Meghalaya’s Chokpot Block, that story isn’t just about farming. It’s about grit, community, and an unforgettable night. 

This year, under the MegLIFE Agroforestry Model 16, the villagers of Asakgre committed to something bold: planting 34,180 cocoa saplings across 11 plots covering over 49 hectares of land. It was a vision for the future ,in fact a chance to turn land into livelihood and forests into long-term income. But the journey from plan to planting wasn’t smooth.

The rains had already been relentless. Days of downpour had turned roads into thick, sticky rivers of mud, soft and heavy, almost like chocolate mousse, but with none of the sweetness. Vehicles carrying the saplings sank, slipped, and stalled. What should have been a simple delivery became an exhausting ordeal.

But here’s where the story turns.

Instead of waiting for the rains to stop or the roads to dry, the villagers and field staff rolled up their sleeves—quite literally. With quiet determination, they took matters into their own hands. When vehicles got stuck, they pushed. When paths disappeared under mud and water, they cleared the way. And when there was no other option, they carried bundles of saplings by hand through slippery, knee-deep stretches. Soaked to the bone and aching with fatigue, they pressed on, with quiet resolve and bursts of shared laughter—to make sure every sapling reached its new home.

They kept going. Hour after hour. Until finally, at 1 AM, the last sapling reached its new home in Asakgre.

That night, the village didn’t just receive cocoa,  they proved something to themselves and to everyone watching: no weather, no terrain, no obstacle is too great when people come together with purpose.

It’s easy to celebrate the fruits of agroforestry when the fields are green and the pods are full. But Asakgre reminds us that the real roots of any transformation lie in the courage to act—especially when the road ahead disappears into mud and darkness.

And maybe that’s where the best stories grow.