Cameroonian cocoa sector makes good strides in sustainable production

While Cargill as part of the joint venture Telcar has been training cocoa farmers in Cameroon since 2011, the efforts on the ground have become more advanced in the last year training nearly 21,000 cocoa farmers at over 600 farmer field schools and building 11 boreholes for local communities to increase access to potable drinking water. By working through these programs, farmers strive for improved profitability and productivity. Another 10,000 new farmers are expected to undergo this training in 2016/2017 and a further eight local communities have been identified for new borehole projects. Lionel Soulard, Regional Managing Director Africa, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate said: “It is exciting to see the development of the cocoa sector in Cameroon and the significant progress that has been made so far. With the significant buy-in and demand from our customers for certified cocoa our long-term goal is to contribute to a thriving cocoa sector for farmers and their communities.” Cameroon is the fourth largest producer of cocoa beans globally.