After months of preparation, we officially launched our Sustainable Organic Cocoa Project in the Dominican Republic in October 2020, with 150 participating farmers from 3 project regions in the eastern part of the country.
In addition to the directly traceable supply of cocoa back to the farmers and the establishment of a long-term relationship, the project aims to increase productivity and biodiversity on the farms. These activities aim to improve the livelihoods of farmer’s families.
Through workshops with farmers on “good agricultural practices” and the distribution of young cocoa trees and shade trees, the cocoa farms are expected to become more resistant to environmental impacts such as climate change and to increase yields. In addition, the project promotes access to quality drinking water for the families as well as educational opportunities for the local communities. Next to the organic and Rainforst-Alliance premium, we pay an additional premium directly to the farmers in order to increase their incomes.
The Sustainable Organic Cocoa Project is a pilot project for us and our daughter company Ecofinia. A trustworthy and close cooperation is key for us and we aim to expand the project in the future in order to achieve a long-term improvement of working and living conditions in our supply chains in the countries where we source our raw materials from.