The truck is a multi-purpose mobile unit powered by solar energy, which provides space for farmer training sessions in good agricultural practices, basic health care services, literacy training and child labour sensitisation programmes.
The Cocoa Horizons Truck, built in Belgium, will now be shipped to Côte d’Ivoire, where it will travel through the cocoa growing regions as of July.
The truck is a pilot project and part of Barry Callebaut’s plan to significantly step up the impact of its Quality Partner Program, a cocoa farming programme that’s an integral part of the company’s 10-year Cocoa Horizons sustainability initiative.
Hervé Beerens, responsible for the Cocoa Horizons Truck project, explained the unique training concept: “As many cocoa farmers cannot read, training will take place in the form of theatre sketches, with the truck serving as a stage. This kind of entertaining training format is very effective and will help close the knowledge gaps farmers have in good agricultural practices.”
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024