WEST AFRICA – Barry Callebaut, a leading international cocoa processors and chocolate manufacturers has announced that it has reached a new milestone in its plan to build a sustainable cocoa supply chain by disclosing its direct cocoa suppliers in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon.
According to the map it has launched, it shows the location of cooperatives and buying stations where the company is directly sourcing cocoa.
Each pin point on the map details the geographical location, cooperative or district name, certification scheme and the number of farmers Barry Callebaut is sourcing from in its supply chain.
By publicly sharing this information, the cocoa and chocolate giant says it’s boosting transparency and traceability in its cocoa supply chain.
“This data also demonstrates the evolution of our data collection capabilities and our confidence in the robustness of our data,” stated Barry Callebaut.
“We will continue to update this map as part of our continuing progression towards a more transparent supply chain,” it added.
The initiative is part of its commitment under Forever Chocolate to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025.
“The opening up of the geographical location of the cooperatives and districts we are directly sourcing from to public scrutiny is proof of the robustness of our approach to exclude cocoa grown in protected forest areas from our direct supply chain,”
Pablo Perversi – Chief Innovation, Sustainability & Quality Officer; Global Head of Gourmet at Barry Callebaut
One important pillar of this plan is the elimination of deforestation from its supply chain.
According to the company, mapping is a critical step to ending deforestation because it shows if the farm is located in a protected forest area and allows the company to exclude cocoa purchases from farms fully or partly located within a protected area boundary.
“The opening up of the geographical location of the cooperatives and districts we are directly sourcing from to public scrutiny is proof of the robustness of our approach to exclude cocoa grown in protected forest areas from our direct supply chain,” said Pablo Perversi, Chief Innovation, Sustainability & Quality Officer; Global Head of Gourmet at Barry Callebaut.
In other related news, the Nestlé group recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Water and Forests of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire for the implementation of the CHF 3.34 million (US$3.5m) project aimed to conserve and rehabilitate the Classified Forest of Cavally, of which Nestlé is contributing CHF 2.5 million (US$2.6m).
The agreement was signed by Mr. Alain-Richard DONWAHI, Minister of Water and Forests and Mr. Thomas CASO, Managing Director of Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire, in the presence via video-conference of Mr. Magdi BATATO, Executive Vice-President, Director of Nestlé operations.
The company’s CHF 2.5 million (US$2.6m) investment will finance efforts to end deforestation within the forest reserve triggered by Cocoa farming.
It will also support transition pathways for farmers currently producing in the reserve and promote regenerative agriculture for areas around the reserve.
The project will be implemented by SODEFOR and the EARTHWORM Foundation, which will work in synergy with other stakeholders, including the cocoa communities.
This protocol once again reinforces the Nestlé Group’s commitment to the fight against deforestation.
In 2017, Nestlé joined the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) to help end deforestation, in partnership with the governments of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and actors in the cocoa and chocolate industry.
Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE
