Over 50% of the payments go directly to farmers, with the remainder used by cooperatives to provide assistance to their members and to build local community facilities.
Farmers are receiving the premium payment for the delivery of 20,000 tonnes of UTZ Certified and Rainforest Alliance cocoa between October 2010 and May 2011.
The cooperatives obtained certification following participation in Cargill’s farmer training programme for certified cocoa in 500 Farmer Field Schools across the cocoa growing regions.
Kouakou Jacques, president of the Fiédifoué Cooperative, said: “We have previously used the premium to build schools and a maternity clinic. In this way we ensure that the whole community shares in and benefits from these payments.”
The training is an intensive 10-month programme for cooperatives and their members and has been developed by Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business in partnership with rural development agency Anader.
During the programme farmers are trained in good and safe practices focusing on farming techniques and post-harvest activities such as pruning, plantation renewal and cocoa fermentation methods.
Source: Cargill
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024