On 6 September, IDH organized an inception meeting for the coalition. More than 35 participants attended from government, industry and civil society to discuss the challenges and areas that can be addressed. At the meeting, top chocolate and cocoa companies: Barry Callebaut, Cargill and Olam affirmed their commitment to invest in Cameroon cocoa, to reduce deforestation and improve quality and flavor profiles.
The Cameroonian cocoa sector can occupy a distinct place in the international market if quality is improved and when the sector can demonstrate that increased cocoa production doesn’t come at the loss of forests. This will also increase the potential for premium prices for Cameroonian high-quality cocoa. Collaboration among industry partners and with the public sector will be needed to bring success at scale in order to transform the market. Farmer will continue to be of key importance. When supported by government policies, and investments from industry, farmers and cooperatives can further strengthen and professionalize without encroaching on new land.
The Green Cocoa Landscape Program is being designed around the pillars of Production, Protection and Inclusion (PPI) and will link closely with the CocoaSoils program to address knowledge gaps in cocoa nutrition and physiology, and provide farmers with agronomic practices based on the latest scientific insights. The CocoaSoils program is coordinated by IITA, WUR and IDH and in Cameroon is led by IRAD .
Next steps for the Green Cocoa Landscape Program
- Scoping phase (Sept-Dec 2018)
- Full proposal and establishment of the consortium for the implementation (Jan-June 2019)
- Fundraising (Jan 2018-June 2019)
- Implementation phase 2019-2021