Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products and the Conseil Café Cacao (CCC) of Côte d’Ivoire signed a letter of intent on June 4, to intensify the cooperation on sustainable cocoa farming.
The purpose of the letter of intent is for both signatories to work collaboratively towards the design and validation of a sustainable cocoa farming model, with a specific focus on the clearing and replanting of cocoa trees infected with the swollen-shoot virus (CSSV) disease.
Also, the cooperation will include agroforestry, more specifically income diversification for cocoa farmers and the planting of shade trees.
In addition, Barry Callebaut and the CCC will work together on making cocoa cultivation more attractive to women cocoa farmers and young cocoa farmers. Finally, both parties will intensify their cooperation on community-led engagement on the eradication of the worst forms of child labor.
In addition, a letter of intent was signed with the Ivorian Ministry of Water and Forests to work on an agroforestry model for the rehabilitation of classified forests and sustainable cocoa farming in these areas.
“These letters of intent are an important step towards the design of a new model for sustainable cocoa farming. Combining the expertise and resources on the ground of the CCC, the Ministry of Water and Forests and Barry Callebaut will make interventions more impactful and accelerate the progress towards a sustainable cocoa farming sector coexisting with protected forest areas in Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa growing country.”
Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Barry Callebaut
“Ensuring the coexistence of cocoa farming with the protection of our country’s classified forests is a high priority for the Ivorian government, as is also exemplified by the Cocoa and Forests Initiative Framework for Action. The letter of intent cements the strategic partnership between government and industry required to make this coexistence happen.”
Alain Richard Donwahi, Minister of Waters and Forests Côte d’Ivoire
“Our 2QC program is all about supporting Ivorian cocoa farmers and ensuring the steady supply of the highest quality cocoa. Partnering with industry is crucial to further build sustainable cocoa farming in Côte d’Ivoire and to ensure that cocoa farming remains an attractive profession for future generations.”
Yves Brahima Koné, Director General of the CCC
The signatories expect to present the first outcomes of their collaboration in early 2019.
