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Company News from Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Source: Cargill.com
2019-05-28
Cargill worked with farmers to support the cocoa sector
Cargill has released its 2017/2018 Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate Sustainability Report, which demonstrates its commitment to ensuring traceability of the supply chain, empowering cocoa farmers and tackle urgent issues such as deforestation using the power of technology.
The report highlights the work done daily by the cocoa processing company to improve the lives of farmers and their communities in five countries of origin where the company buys cocoa – Brazil, Cameroon, Ivory Coast , Ghana and Indonesia.
In a statement released Tuesday (May 28th) by cocoa processing giants, Harold Poelma, president of Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, said the report underscored the company's commitment to creating a sustainable cocoa sector, focused on the well-being of the producer.
"This sustainability report highlights how we are taking action to address a range of issues in the cocoa sector, while maintaining a farmer-centered approach. It is essential that everything we do creates sustainable benefits for cocoa farmers, their families and their communities, and allows them to take charge and succeed as small businesses while protecting our planet. " said Harold Poelma.
The company focuses on building a more transparent supply chain and implementing scalable solutions through technology and evidence-based approaches. Recent actions have focused on building the capacity of local farmers, improving traceability in the supply chain, increasing access to training and educational resources for cocoa producing households, the professionalisation of agriculture and the protection of natural resources.
The report reflects Cargill's holistic approach to sustainability, which addresses multiple, interconnected issues and encourages collaboration among stakeholders to create a thriving cocoa sector. The report highlights the progress made in achieving the company's five sustainability goals, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and endorsed by Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate in 2017. These sustainability goals are part of Cargill's promise for sustainability. Cocoa; the company's commitment to improving the lives of cocoa farmers and their communities.
Over the past year, Cargil has provided GAP training and training to more than 200,000 cocoa farmers around the world. In Ghana, more than 4,500 farmers have benefited from individual farmer support initiatives, which enable farmers to comply with certification standards, improve their productivity and, ultimately, their incomes.
The GPS polygon of their holdings was mapped as part of the global GPS mapping program of 12,502 farmers, in which 188,065 hectares of forest belonging to its direct cocoa supply chain (in partnership with Global Forest Watch) were evaluated around the world. This work establishes a baseline identifying the origin of cocoa, areas that may present a risk of deforestation and ways to mitigate this risk through specific interventions.
As part of its Community Wellbeing goal, which aims to create more resilient cocoa-growing communities in areas where society is present, the livelihoods of 108 Ghanaian communities have been enhanced through Cargill's community-based approach that puts Emphasis on empowering women and strengthening governance structures.
To reinforce the impact of this program in the subregion, the company said it had completed a comprehensive needs badessment in 137 new communities in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. The result is that these communities are currently developing community action plans (CAPs), which allow their leaders to badess local needs, identify available resources or areas to develop, and to define their way forward.
With technology playing a key role in informing and accelerating Cargill's impact in cocoa supply regions, the company has deployed digital payment vehicles that enable farmers to receive secure and timely payment. for their beans, while Cargill's Digital Cooperative Management System ensures farmers and producer organizations are empowered to manage their operations as businesses.
These technology-driven initiatives aim to build confidence and transparency in the supply chain process from the cocoa bean to the chocolate bar. Data from the deployment of polygon mapping and electronic bean tracking solutions explain how Cargill designs and deploys its sustainability programs, helping customers meet consumer demand for products from ethical sources.
"We believe that the path to sustainable business practices is much broader than the actions or interests of a particular company. By partnering with other organizations and harnessing our individual strengths, we can achieve a fundamental and lasting transformation together, "said Poelma.
About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services to the world. In collaboration with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our knowledge and 150 years of experience. We have 155,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world responsibly, reducing the environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com
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