World Cocoa Foundation Programs Show Significant Progress in Addressing Cocoa Farmer Livelihoods

Farmer Impact Survey Details to be Released

ACCRA, Ghana and WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) announced today that a recent impact survey has shown a near doubling of yields among farmer graduates who have received agronomic and business management training through WCF Cocoa Livelihoods Program (CLP) Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Business Schools, as well as access to input supplies. Details of the farmer impact survey will be announced the week of October 24, in Accra, Ghana.

WCF has worked in partnership with local governments and farmer organizations such as the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) throughout West and Central Africa for the past 10 years to create and implement programs that empower cocoa farmers, their families and their communities. Flagship programs such as WCF CLP, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and WCF member companies, and the WCF ECHOES Alliance, funded by USAID, the Jacobs Foundation and WCF member companies, are having a significantly positive impact on cocoa-farming communities. The WCF ECHOES Alliance has now benefitted 387,000 students from teacher and administrator training in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire.

Mr. Tony Fofie, Chief Executive of COCOBOD, said, "We are pleased to continue working in partnership with the World Cocoa Foundation and are happy to see progress and positive impact for cocoa farmers through programs such as CLP and ECHOES."

Bill Guyton, President of WCF, supported Mr. Fofie's statement of the partnership between the Government of Ghana and WCF by saying, "Now is the time for us to work together on establishing joint targets for measuring success across programs and among stakeholders. We are working on a plan of action for these targets that we hope will be widely adopted."

Madame Toure-Litse, Chief Executive Officer of CGFCC, added, "Cote d'Ivoire, sees the long term value of working with the World Cocoa Foundation and its membership to improve the livelihoods of the thousands of cocoa farming families as this is in line with the national policy, particularly in our program 2QC meant to improve both the revenue and the livelihoods of cocoa producers and their communities in Cote d'Ivoire."

Next week, global cocoa sustainability stakeholders will gather in Accra, Ghana, October 26-27 for the World Cocoa Foundation 20th Partnership Meeting & Roundtable Sessions. The meeting, titled People, Planet, Profit: Envisioning the Future of Cocoa in Africa, will convene in Ghana to address some of the most pressing issues in cocoa sustainability and include more than 250 guests from industry, governments, NGOs, academia, and research institutes from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The Partnership Meeting & Roundtable Sessions are the largest of the events the World Cocoa Foundation holds each year to advance cocoa sustainability understanding, collaboration and programs. Keynote speakers include Mr. Percival Kuranchie, Chairman of the Board of Directors of COCOBOD; Mr. Tony Fofie, Chief Executive of COCOBOD; Ms. Anne Alonzo, Vice President of Global Public Policy at Kraft Foods; and Bill Guyton, President of WCF.

Earlier this year, WCF member companies pledged humanitarian support and emergency relief for Cote d'Ivoire citizens through the World Food Program (WFP). An estimated one million Ivorian citizens were displaced due to political unrest. WCF members remained committed to post-conflict Cote d'Ivoire reconstruction efforts and supplementing successful programs already in place with additional resources. WCF member companies also provided support to refugees in Liberia and other West African states through the WFP.

One of the most successful programs currently in place in both Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana is the WCF ECHOES Alliance. WCF ECHOES is a comprehensive program that aims to strengthen cocoa-growing communities and to address issues in child labor by improving access to education for youth and young adults and by providing child labor education to farmers. Local, on-the-ground activities include agriculture and life skills training, functional literacy education and vocational training for youth, and family support scholarships to ensure school tuition coverage for selected families.

With demand for chocolate and cocoa continuing to grow in developed and emerging markets around the world, meeting attendees will discuss the future of this precious commodity. Additionally, discussion will center around the future implications for the farmers, partners and consumers who depend on it for their livelihoods and wellbeing in West and Central Africa and beyond.

The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is an international membership foundation that promotes a sustainable cocoa economy by providing cocoa farmers with the tools they need to grow more and better cocoa, market it successfully, and make greater profits. These efforts help increase the supply of cocoa and help guarantee chocolate lovers access to their favorite products. WCF's membership includes cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80% of the global cocoa market. For more information, visit www.worldcocoa.org.

SOURCE The World Cocoa Foundation