{"id":10145,"date":"2022-03-28T10:52:02","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T09:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/?p=10145"},"modified":"2022-03-28T10:52:02","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T09:52:02","slug":"nestle-to-improve-livelihoods-of-cocoa-farming-families-with-new-income-accelerator-programme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/nestle-to-improve-livelihoods-of-cocoa-farming-families-with-new-income-accelerator-programme\/","title":{"rendered":"Nestl\u00e9 to improve livelihoods of cocoa-farming families with new income accelerator programme"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nestl\u00e9 to improve livelihoods of cocoa-farming families with new income accelerator programme<\/h1>\/ in Featured Articles<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/header>\n<\/div><\/section>
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Nestl\u00e9, a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate and the world\u2019s largest food & beverage company, has announced a new plan to tackle child labour risks in cocoa production with the introduction of an innovative income accelerator programme aimed at improving the livelihoods of cocoa-farming families, while also advancing regenerative agriculture practices and gender equality.<\/p>\n

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A cash incentive will be paid directly to cocoa-farming households for certain activities such as enrolment of children in school and pruning among several others. Nestl\u00e9\u2019s new plan also supports the company\u2019s work to transform its global sourcing of cocoa to achieve full traceability and segregation for its cocoa products. As Nestl\u00e9 continues to expand its cocoa sustainability efforts, the company plans to invest a total of CHF 1.3 billion by 2030, a three-fold increase of its current annual investment.<\/p>\n

The income accelerator programme offers a novel approach to help support farmers and their families in their transition to more sustainable cocoa farming. The incentives will encourage behaviours and agricultural practices that are designed to steadily build social and economic resilience over time. With Nestl\u00e9\u2019s new approach, cocoa- farming families will now be rewarded not only for the quantity and quality of cocoa beans they produce but also for the benefits they provide to the environment and local communities. These incentives are on top of the premium introduced by the governments of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire and Ghana that Nestl\u00e9 pays and the premiums Nestl\u00e9 offers for certified cocoa. This cocoa is independently audited against the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, promoting the social, economic and environmental well-being of farmers and local communities.<\/p>\n

Cocoa-farming communities face immense challenges, including widespread rural poverty, increasing climate risks and a lack of access to financial services and basic infrastructure like water, health care and education. These complex factors contribute to the risk of child labour on family farms. Together with partners, including governments, and building on a promising pilot program, Nestl\u00e9\u2019s new initiative sharpens the focus on these root causes of child labour. \u201cOur goal is to have an additional tangible, positive impact on a growing number of cocoa-farming families, especially in areas where poverty is widespread and resources are scarce, and to help close the living income gap they face over time,\u201d said Mark Schneider, Nestl\u00e9 CEO. \u201cBuilding on our longstanding efforts to source cocoa sustainably, we will continue to help children go to school, empower women, improve farming methods and facilitate financial resources. We believe that, together with governments, NGOs and others in the cocoa industry, we can help improve the lives of cocoa-farming families and give children the chance to learn and grow in the safe and healthy environment they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Creating cash incentives to grow income substantially<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The programme rewards practices that increase crop productivity and help secure additional sources of income, which aim to close the gap to living income and help protect children. By engaging in these practices, families can additionally earn up to CHF 500 annually for the first two years of the programme. The higher incentive at the start will help accelerate the implementation of good agricultural practices to build future impact. This incentive will then be levelled at CHF 250 thereafter as the programme starts delivering tangible results. It is not paid based on the volume of cocoa sold and is inclusive to provide smaller farmers meaningful support, leaving no one behind. In a departure from normal practice, the programme also offers financial incentives for the farmer\u2019s spouse, who is typically responsible for household expenses and childcare. By dividing the payments between the farmer and the spouse, the programme helps empower women and improve gender equality.<\/p>\n

Examples of practices that Nestl\u00e9 is incentivizing include:<\/p>\n