Premium payments are empowering cocoa farmers in Brazil

Under the Cargill Cocoa Promise, the livelihoods of cocoa farmers are being improved.

In 2014 a total of $19 million was paid to farmers in Cote d’Ivoire, Brazil, Cameroon, Ghana and Indonesia, bringing the total to $44 million paid to date under the Cargill Cocoa Promise. The premiums, which are achieved by farmers for selling their UTZ, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade certified cocoa beans, are funded by confectionery and food manufacturers and retailers and are positively supporting the ongoing development of a sustainable cocoa supply chain.

Premium payments for certified sustainable cocoa are not only helping with meeting the growing demand for sustainably sourced cocoa and chocolate, but continuing to make a significant contribution to improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their communities.

“Premium payments and cocoa certification remain a valuable catalyst in making progress toward a sustainable cocoa supply chain,” said Taco Terheijden, Director Cocoa Sustainability at Cargill – a provider of food, agriculture, financial and industrial products.

“We are proud to be part of this process and to see the positive developments in the sector. Not only are cocoa farmers and their communities benefitting from higher incomes and better health and education, at the same time manufacturers, retailers and consumers can be confident about where their cocoa is coming from and how it is being produced.”

The premium payments are made to certified farmer cooperatives with 50 per cent going directly to individual farmer members, and the remainder being invested in projects by the farmer organisation to boost productivity, farm development and benefit the community. The premiums are an incentive to adopt good agricultural practices and directly support improvements to make a positive difference to local communities.

Demonstrable progress can be observed  in Cote d’Ivoire, where a first of its kind public-private partnership between the Conseil du Cafe-Cacoa, Cargill and CARE has enabled 14 farmer cooperatives to use their premium payments to access additional funding.  With this they have built 11 new schools and three new health centres – teaching over 1650 children and providing access to healthcare for 25000 people.