Nestlé and Barry Callebaut have teamed up on what they have described as a ‘groundbreaking partnership’, which is aimed at accelerating progress to net zero cocoa production in Brazil.
The two companies will undertake a five-year planting initiative, generating 6.215 hectares of agroforestry and 7.7 million trees, as they ‘aim to foster the sustainable growth of Brazil’s cocoa sector by empowering entrepreneurial farmers to enter cocoa production and support existing cocoa farmers to expand their areas in a climate friendly way’.
Utilising advanced technology, financial support, and land development, the initiative will incorporate three main projects to address different farmer segments and their challenges, and will also leverage Barry Callebaut’s expertise in seedlings production.
‘Driving positive change’
“This program is a testament to our commitment to delivering the world’s best chocolate solutions and services, while driving positive change in the cocoa industry,” commented Tilmann Silber, head of net zero at Barry Callebaut.
“With the announcement of our ambitious Net Zero targets in 2024, we are dedicated to working alongside Nestlé on this industry-leading project. By collaborating with our customers in this way, we can accelerate our journey toward these targets, fostering a more sustainable future for cocoa farmers, consumers, and the entire chocolate ecosystem.”
Côte d’Ivoire collaboration
Designed according to a 25-year framework – with the option to renew for another 20 years – Nestlé and Barry Callebaut’s initiative builds on a previous collaboration between the two firms in Côte d’Ivoire, where a 11,500-hectare agroforestry programme benefiting over 6,000 farmers is already in operation.
That initiative is projected to sequester 1.3 million tonnes of CO2eq over a 25 year period.
“This collaboration with Barry Callebaut is another significant step towards realising our shared vision of a sustainable cocoa supply chain,” added Barbara Sapunar, executive director of digital transformation and ESG at Nestlé Brazil. “By empowering farmers and incentivising climate-positive practices, we can collectively contribute to a greener future.” Read more here.
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