FDBusiness.com

The Nestlé Cocoa Plan, which was scaled up this year to increase the sustainable supply of quality cocoa and the number of cocoa farmers and their communities who benefit from the initiative, has delivered a record amount of cocoa. A total of 38,000 tonnes of good-quality sustainable Nestlé Cocoa Plan crop has been sourced from farmers worldwide during the harvest period from October 2011 until September 2012, over a fifth more than last year.

The plan helps farmers and their communities by providing them with long-term economic security and training. Nestlé is working closely with those involved at every stage of its Nestlé Cocoa Plan supply chain in order to ensure a sustainable flow of quality cocoa.

By 2013 the company aims to source up to 15% of its global cocoa supply from farmers it covers.

For the first time, the company has distributed more than one million cocoa plants to farmers so far in 2012.

Globally Nestlé has trained more than 21,000 farmers this year, over a tenth more than 2011. This includes more than 9,900 farmers in Cote d’Ivoire. By 2015 Nestlé aims to train an additional 24,000 farmers in the country, and deliver a further three million plantlets.

As part of the plan, the company has partnered with the World Cocoa Foundation in Côte d’Ivoire to build or refurbish 40 schools in four years. It will also focus on teacher training, adult literacy and community-based child labour awareness programmes.