Cargill Continues Support for Ivory Coast Cocoa Farmers

ABIDJAN, Cote d'IvoireCargill entered into a partnership with  ANADER, Cote d'Ivoire's national rural development agency, to support farmer training activities and the distribution of 600,000 cocoa tree seedlings to participating cooperatives to help improve and renew existing cocoa farms.

"Cote d'Ivoire remains one of the foremost producers of cocoa in the world, and this agreement strengthens our ongoing commitment to help improve the farming practices and the livelihoods of Ivorian cocoa farmers, as well as support the development of the country's cocoa sector," said Greg Page, Cargill chairman and chief executive officer.

Further, the company announced it will invest $3.25 million to develop and expand its farmer training program and support activities to enable cooperatives to obtain independent UTZ and Rain Forest Alliance certification. This investment marks another step in Cargill's Sustainable Cocoa Program, which is its ongoing commitment to build a sustainable cocoa supply chain, support cocoa farmers and improve livelihoods in cocoa growing communities.

Cargill has been training Ivorian cocoa farmers for more than 10 years and today helps tens of thousands of farmers increase yields, improve quality and adopt more sustainable practices. In 2011/2012 it will train over 60,000 farmers across 90 cooperatives in Cote d'Ivoire through over 1,100 farmer field schools. This training has already enabled 44 farmer cooperatives to achieve independent UTZ certification and this figure will double to 90 certified cooperatives by October 2012.

In crop year 2011/12 Cargill is forecasting to purchase 50,000 tonnes of certified cocoa, which will represent cocoa premium payments totalling over U.S. $9 million. Over 50 percent of these payments go directly to farmers with the remainder being invested by the cooperatives to provide assistance to members and to build local community facilities. Cargill is continuing to work closely with cooperatives to reach its target of 100,000 tonnes of certified sustainable cocoa beans from Cote d'Ivoire by 2015.

Additionally through its partnerships with CARE and the IECD, Cargill is improving access to healthcare, drinking water and renovating schools in 10 communities in San Pedro and Daloa. It has also renovated over 40 schools to provide education and practical farming skills to help young people improve their employment prospects.

Lionel Soulard, Managing Director West Africa, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, said, "Successful cocoa growing communities are important both for the development of the Ivorian economy and for our own business. We want to continue to provide support and assistance, where we can, to help improve the quality, yields and incomes of farmers so that cocoa farming can continue to thrive in the country for many generations to come."