Training to meet the sustainability standards of UTZ Certified, an independent certification programme for cocoa, is being provided to eight intermediaries in key cocoa growing regions.
The local intermediaries provide services to an estimated 13,000 independent farmers in their respective regions including the collection and purchase of fermented and dried cocoa beans.
Nicholas Camu, group manager, Cocoa Horizons, said: “While work to strengthen and expand the number of cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire is continuing, most cocoa farmers are not members of farmer organisations and sell their beans to local intermediaries.
“To advance sustainable cocoa production, and to complement our work with farmer organisations, we are developing innovative programmes to reach many of these unaffiliated farmers and intermediaries. We are pleased to be working with UTZ Certified in this new training effort.”
Source: Barry Callebaut
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