Côte d'Ivoire and West Africa
Although cocoa is grown in several areas throughout the world, West Africa produces nearly three-quarters of the world’s cocoa. Côte d'Ivoire is the largest producer, with over 800,000 small-scale farmers and representing over 40 percent of the world’s supply.
As a key processor of Ivorian cocoa, Cargill is financing and supporting activities that are helping small-scale farmers and communities increase their incomes from cocoa, improve farming practices, and access essential financial and logistical support.
The political and economic circumstances in Côte d'Ivoire are challenging, which has resulted in less investment, and deterioration of the health and education systems, in a country where a large proportion of the population live in significant poverty. Many children are not able to attend school especially in rural areas where families have had to move away and many schools have had to close due to civil unrest. Access to healthcare has also been affected so Cargill is working in partnership with international and local organizations to put in place programs in rural communities to provide health and educational facilities.
We are also supporting activities in other cocoa growing countries in West Africa including Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.
Promoting Sustainable Cocoa Farming
Establishing the UTZ CERTIFIED sustainability program for mainstream cocoa production – Cargill together with Mars, Nestlé, Heinz Benelux, Ahold, ECOM Agroindustrial, Solidaridad and Oxfam Novib are partnering with UTZ CERTIFIED to establish a credible sustainability program for mainstream cocoa. The program, which will be independently certified, aims to achieve more sustainable mainstream cocoa production and will work with farmer groups to improve agricultural, social and environmental practices. Although all the partners recognise the challenge, the program’s ambition is to have certified the first farmer groups – approximately 10,000 farmers – by the end of 2009 and have the first UTZ CERTIFIED ‘Good Inside’ cocoa available later that year. The partners are currently working to develop a Code of Conduct for sustainable cocoa production, with input from different stakeholders in the cocoa industry and NGOs. Independent, accredited auditors will then work closely with farmer groups so they have a process in place to ensure their members are in compliance with the Code and addressing any areas of non-compliance. Once the Code of Conduct is finalized pilot projects will be launched in Côte d'Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producing country, during 2008 and early 2009. There are further plans to test and roll out the certification program in other cocoa producing countries in the following years.
Farmer training and support – free training seminars and practical advice about how to improve both the quantity and quality of their cocoa beans are helping farmers increase their incomes. Many farmers are illiterate and formal training has not been available, so these seminars provide valuable information to farmers, as well as increase sensitisation to social issues, such as HIV/AIDS and child labor. They are scheduled to reach 10,000 farmers per year in Côte d'Ivoire. We also provide financial support and access for farmers to necessary crop inputs, such as pesticides and fertilizers, and are specifically providing assistance to farmers in Nigeria to help combat black pod disease.
Quality and price transparency – to help farmers receive higher prices for their better quality cocoa we are providing transparent information on international cocoa market prices. Additionally, at our cocoa buying stations, we perform quality checks so farmers are rewarded fairly for good quality beans and get paid promptly upon delivery. Each farmer in Côte d'Ivoire produces about one tonne of cocoa beans every year and can sell through a long chain of local collectors or more directly to buying stations and processors as part of a farmer cooperative. We purchase over 50 percent of our cocoa beans from farmer cooperatives, creating a short and efficient supply chain that improves farmers’ incomes.
Supporting the growth and development of farmer cooperatives – in addition to purchasing about 50 per cent of our cocoa beans from cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire, we provide essential financing and technical support to help produce high quality cocoa and to improve farmers' incomes. We work closely with farmer cooperatives to provide support and to try to find constructive and appropriate solutions if they encounter financial or other difficulties. We are providing business management and financial training to farmer cooperatives in the Soubré region of Côte d'Ivoire to help improve management and governance, and enabling them to expand. We are also partnering with GTZ and ANADER (the national rural development agency) in the region to establish 45 farmer field schools to teach better agricultural practices, so farmers can improve their cocoa bean quality and yields, thereby increasing their incomes.
Providing transport – delivering cocoa beans to local buying stations is critical to the quality of cocoa, and to the revenues of farmers. Cocoa is grown in rural areas, storage conditions are inadequate, the roads are poor, farmers cannot afford vehicles and the long time it can take to transport the cocoa can damage the quality and value of beans. Carrying these frequently heavy loads also has health risks for farmers. Cargill’s partnerships with local trucking companies in Côte d'Ivoire are financing trucks, which transport cocoa beans from small villages to warehouses of farmer cooperatives to whom farmers can sell their crop. Larger trucks then transport the beans from these warehouses to Cargill’s buying stations.
Ensuring responsible labor practices
In response to concerns about children who may be involved in dangerous, excessive, abusive or forced work on cocoa farms, Cargill has joined other members of the global cocoa and chocolate industry to take action to ensure that cocoa is grown responsibly, without the worst forms of child and forced labor.
Cocoa provides essential incomes for families in Côte d'Ivoire, where a large proportion of the population live in significant poverty. Cocoa is grown almost entirely on small, mainly family owned, farms in rural areas across West Africa where the whole family may work together to grow cocoa, especially at peak times of the year, such as harvest. We are concerned about the safety and well-being of children who may be involved in dangerous, excessive, abusive or forced work on farms, which is why we are committed to working towards a supply chain where no children are subject to these conditions. We do not accept the use of illegal, abusive or enforced labor in any of our operations and abide by the laws in the countries in which we operate.
Our industry through the International Cocoa Initiative – a partnership between industry, NGOs and trade unions – is working with governments in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire to prevent children from abusive, forced, excessive or dangerous work on farms by building awareness and supporting programs that seek a community-based approach to the elimination of abusive labor practices.
Cargill is a member of the World Cocoa Foundation, which was established by the cocoa and chocolate industry to help cocoa farming communities through on-the-ground programs that are encouraging responsible and sustainable cocoa growing. The global industry is also taking a leading role in working with West African governments, non-governmental organizations, and labor experts to develop a credible certification system for cocoa farming.
Cargill has also put in place programs in West Africa to promote better working practices and to help prevent children from forced or dangerous work on farms. Our farmer training seminars teach better and safer farming practices, such as using sticks in place of machetes to open cocoa pods especially when children might be involved, and using pesticides only in a prudent manner and never if children are around. Part of each training seminar is also devoted to promoting the importance of school attendance for children, and to emphasise that it is wrong for children to undertake forced or dangerous work on cocoa farms. Additionally, our sponsorship of CARE International's Rural Education Program is improving educational opportunities for out-of-school children in 30 cocoa growing communities in Ghana.
Cargill requires that all our direct suppliers of cocoa beans in West Africa – both private buyers and cooperatives – sign a statement acknowledging that they understand that we are committed to the elimination of the worst forms of child labor in the cocoa supply chain. If suppliers are found to be employing such practices their contracts are subject to termination.
Providing support to cocoa growing communities
Family Farm Schools – Cargill is sponsoring a new program set up by the European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD), which is establishing 40 Family Farm schools in local communities throughout Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon. These schools are taking an innovative, dual approach by providing children and adults with education and practical farming skills.
Habitat for Humanity – Cargill employees in Côte d'Ivoire have helped build more than 20 Habitat for Humanity homes in the Gagnoa region. We are providing ongoing support to this program and have plans in place to build new houses.
World Food Programme – we are supporting the global efforts to provide comprehensive education and nutrition programs for children in Central America and Africa. Cargill’s funding in Côte d'Ivoire was used to help prevent and treat intestinal parasites in children, in conjunction with the WFP’s school feeding programs.
Immunization program – we are supporting the 'Chaine Des Tout-Petits' immunization program in Côte d'Ivoire, which is immunizing more than 50,000 children in Abidjan, San Pedro, Daloa and Gagnoa protecting them from meningitis, tetanus and intestinal parasites.
Health facilities – in partnership with the global charity, Mercy Ships, we have opened a new maternity wing and theatre in the Tema Polyclinic in Ghana. The new maternity ward, staffed and operated by Ghana Health Services, will serve more than 20 communities in both the city of Tema and neighboring districts providing much needed antenatal facilities and care.
