Mondelēz International has extended its Cocoa Life global cocoa sustainability initiative to Brazil, to ensure the sustainable supply of cocoa in its supply chain.
Cocoa Life aims to help cocoa farmers grow their produce in a sustainable and profitable manner, and is already in action in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, India and the Dominican Republic.
In the region of Pará, Mondelēz will invest around $200,000 per year over the next three years to help cocoa farmers develop their farm, and in Bahia, Cocoa Life will provide guidance on the latest techniques in farm rejuvenation and agriculture to improve cocoa yields and quality.
Mondelēz says that Cocoa Life will involve at least 500 farmers, deploy six demonstration plots to share good agricultural practices, promote ecological soil management and good post-harvest practices, transform 1,000 hectares of pasture land into cocoa agroforestry, re-shape 750 hectares of existing cocoa farms with new agro-ecological soil management, and restore 500 hectares of riparian forest and protect watersheds.
The cocoa beans produced with Cocoa Life support will be used for Mondelēz’s Lacta chocolate portfolio.
Christine Montenegro McGrath, chief of sustainability & well-being at Mondelēz International said: “We are thrilled about adding Brazil to our Cocoa Life initiative.
“Brazil is not only a cocoa-growing country but it’s also an important chocolate manufacturing hub, home to one of our local heritage brands, Lacta, one of the country’s favourites and top-selling chocolate brand.
“Cocoa Life has already made a significant impact in West African cocoa farming communities and we expect it will do the same in Brazil.
“In addition, the program will also look at contributing to the preservation of the Amazon rainforest and to the community development.”
Rodrigo Freire, vice-coordinator of Restoration for TNC in Brazil said: “The partnership with Cocoa Life brings a new perspective to expand our efforts.
“Indeed, the Pará region, which had one of the highest rates of deforestation in Brazil, has the potential to become an example of sustainable development and restoration in the Amazon Rainforest.
“Over the past five years, we have supported the planting of 450 hectares of cocoa agroforestry-system in the Amazon, benefitting over 120 families in the São Félix do Xingu and Tucumã municipalities in southeastern Pará. Our goal is to reach 1,000 families in the next five years.”
