Barry Callebaut pledges to expand sustainable farming efforts in Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire

Chocolate manufacturer signs letters of intent with cocoa organizations in both countries.

Barry Callebaut Cote DIvoire signing — Antoine de Saint-Affrique, ceo of Barry Callebaut, signs a letter of intent with Alain Richard Donwahi, minister of waters and forests, Côte d’Ivoire. Photo from Barry Callebaut.

Barry Callebaut Ghana signing — Antoine de Saint-Affrique, ceo of Barry Callebaut, signs a letter of intent with Joseph Boahen Aidoo,chief executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board. Photo by Barry Callebaut.

Swiss cocoa and chocolate products manufacturer Barry Callebaut continues to make strides toward sustainable cocoa farming.

Working in conjunction with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Conseil Café Cacao (CCC), in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire respectively, the company signed cooperative letters of intent on June 4 to work with the countries on designing a sustainable cocoa farming model.

All parties aim to develop a farming method that focuses on replanting cocoa trees killed by swollen-shoot virus disease. There is additional focus on agroforestry, an agricultural method concentrating on forest conservation and allowing farmers to diversify incomes.

“Combining the expertise and resources on the ground of both the COCOBOD and Barry Callebaut will lead to more impactful interventions and accelerate the progress towards a sustainable cocoa farming sector in Ghana,” said Barry Callebaut CEO Antoine de Saint-Affrique.

The goal is to provide sustainable solutions to cocoa farming that would improve efficiency as well as protect the natural environment.

“Ensuring the coexistence of cocoa farming with the protection of our country’s classified forests is a high priority for the Ivorian government,” said Alain Richard Donwahi, minister of waters and forests in Côte d’Ivoire.

Both parties also aim to attract more females and younger workers to cocoa farming. In the letters, all parties agreed toward taking steps that would lead to the elimination of child labor.

Barry Callebaut, COCOBOD and CCC hope to share initial outcomes of the partnership in 2019.

A graduate Saint Charles East High School in St. Charles, Ill., intern Christian Metzger studies communications and journalism at Lake Forest College. He previously interned at the Wayne Examiner, a newspaper serving 1,000 readers in the western Chicago suburb of Wayne.