Mars, Incorporated and Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) have announced a new, five-year strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating climate-smart and regenerative agriculture practices in cocoa production in Ecuador.
The partnership, which builds on more than a decade of collaboration between the two firms, also aligns with Mars‘ and ofi’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2050, they said in a statement. Both companies’ commitments have also been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
‘Reduce barriers’
“Together with Mars, we’re scaling up regenerative practices like agroforestry and biochar in Ecuador aimed at cutting greenhouse‑gas emissions and helping to secure the future supply of cocoa,” commented Andrew Brooks, head of cocoa sustainability at ofi. “By making these practices more accessible to farmers, we hope to reduce barriers for implementation and costly inputs, while opening new income opportunities that can make a real difference to building more resilient livelihoods.”
“Our latest climate action collaboration with Mars is sparked by our shared, science‑based net‑zero ambitions to create change for a stronger food system so we can continue to enjoy the chocolate products we all love. Working jointly in Ecuador for 10 years, we’re developing local insights to help accelerate positive impact for the people and landscapes vital for cocoa.”
First phase
The first phase of the initiative will see more than 960 farmers in key cocoa-producing regions, including El Oro, Esmeraldas and Manabí, implement regenerative agriculture practices across more than 9,000 hectares of farmland.
This will see farmers transition from full-sun monoculture to multistrata agroforestry, moving toward more diverse, forest-like ecosystems that enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, improve resilience, and increase carbon sequestration.
As the companies noted, around 4,800 people in surrounding cocoa-growing communities are expected to benefit from the initiative.
‘Common goals’
“Building on our long-standing collaboration in cocoa sourcing, this effort demonstrates our belief that when companies share common goals, they can deepen cooperation and drive more meaningful impact at scale,” added Benjamin Guilbert, global vice president, cocoa at Mars.
“We value ofi’s ongoing commitment to helping Mars realize our vision of a more modern, inclusive, and sustainable cocoa ecosystem that can support farmers and the environment.” Read more here.
