The Cargill Cocoa Promise Strengthens Company's Commitment to
Sustainable Cocoa and its Support for Cocoa Farmers and Communities
ABIDJAN, Côte d'Ivoire,
November 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Cargill has strengthened its global commitment to cocoa farmers
and to building a sustainable cocoa sector through the Cargill
Cocoa Promise. The commitment builds on the company's work
over the past 10 years and reconfirms Cargill's efforts to grow and
sustain cocoa farming communities while meeting the growing global
demand for sustainable cocoa beans. The reinforcement of Cargill's
commitment was made at the World Cocoa Conference in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120709/543450 )
The Cargill Cocoa Promise reinforces the company's global
commitment to making a difference in three key areas: training
cocoa farmers; supporting cocoa farming communities; and investing
in the long-term sustainable production of cocoa.
"The Cargill Cocoa Promise underlines our commitment to lead
efforts on sustainable cocoa and support the future of cocoa
farming around the world," says Jos De Loor, President of Cargill's
cocoa and chocolate business. "We have been working closely with
cocoa farmers and communities for many years. Our Promise will help
strengthen cocoa production - while continuing to improve the
livelihoods of farmers, increasing access to education and
healthcare in local communities, and providing better access to
technology, finance and infrastructure."
The Cargill Cocoa Promise will reinforce the company's long-term
work - by continuing to partner with local governments,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector - to
provide farmer training, work in partnership with farmer
organizations and positively contribute to local cocoa farming
communities.
The program will see Cargill continue to invest and provide
financing, training and support to maintain and strengthen a
sustainable cocoa supply chain in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil. Already Cargill is on target to
source over 100,000 tonnes of certified sustainable cocoa beans
from Côte d'Ivoire by 2015 - making its program the largest of its
kind in the country.
To date, Cargill's activities and achievements to support
sustainable cocoa production include:
- Over 1,100 farmer field schools teaching 60,000 Ivorian farmers
and helping cooperatives to achieve UTZ and Rainforest Alliance
certification.
- Over 26,500 Ivorian farmers across 43 UTZ and Rainforest
Alliance certified cooperatives. receiving sustainable cocoa
premiums payments totaling U.S. $7.6
million in 2011/12
- Training 15,000 farmers in Ghana to improve farming practices.
- A partnership with CARE that is improving access to education
and healthcare amongst 130 rural cocoa-producing districts in Côte
d'Ivoire and Ghana.
- Training 1,000 Indonesian farmers to achieve UTZ or Rainforest
Alliance certification.
- Over 100 cocoa demonstration farms in Vietnam showcasing sustainable farming
practices
- Helping regenerate and develop cocoa growing regions in
Brazil through farmer training and
seed distribution.
An important part of the Cargill Cocoa Promise is to strengthen
communities by increasing access to education, working to protect
and promote the rights of children, and improving health and
wellbeing. Cargill is working with a number of partner
organizations, including CARE and the International Cocoa
Initiative (ICI), to achieve this. Projects include the delivery of
schools, healthcare and social improvements in Côte d'Ivoire,
Ghana, Cameroon, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil.
De Loor continued, "We want farmers, and their communities, to
be successful for many generations to come. We are committed to
helping communities get better access to training, education and
healthcare that will deliver a real and lasting difference."
Notes for editors:
Cargill
Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food,
agricultural, financial and industrial products and services.
Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 142,000 people
in 65 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through
collaboration and innovation, and is committed to sharing its
global knowledge and experience to help meet economic,
environmental and social challenges wherever it does business.
For more information, visit http://www.cargill.com.
CONTACT:
Wendy Garbutt:
+44-1932-861174
wendy_garbutt@cargill.com
http://www.cargill.com/news