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Cargill is also investing US $ 12.3 million over the next three years in expanding sustainability and traceability programs in both countries
Cargill is investing more than $ 113 million in expanding its cocoa processing facilities in Yopougon, Ivory Coast, and Tema, Ghana.
An investment of $ 100 million will increase production capacity in Yopougon by 50%, create 85 local full-time jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs, while an investment of $ 13 million will increase capacity at the Tema site in Ghana by 20 percent. A significant portion of the additional capacity of our cocoa processing plant in Yopougon is fully utilized for the production of the rich brown Gerkens® cocoa powder to meet customer demand.
At the same time, Cargill is investing US $ 12.3 million over the next three years in expanding sustainability and traceability programs in both countries. This is a combination of $ 7.7 million investment in Côte d’Ivoire and $ 3.4 million in Ghana for programs that improve the safety and well-being of children and families in cocoa-growing areas and provide a more transparent, traceable cocoa supply chain for customers and consumers ,
Lionel Soulard , Managing Director of Cargill West Africa , said: “We want to relocate much of our milling activities to the countries of origin to help build a broader local agri-food sector. We work directly with both governments and other key stakeholders, and we are committed to economic growth, building sustainable local businesses and diversifying sources of income for cocoa farming communities. “
The investments in sustainability and supply chain in the two countries are part of the Cargill Cocoa Promise : the company’s commitment to improving the lives of cocoa farmers and their communities. These projects focus on creating stronger, resilient cocoa communities.
Aedo van der Weij , managing director of cocoa and chocolate business from Cargill in Ghana , said the expansion of production in Ghana : “Building on the success of the campaign” Good Taste of Ghana “when we started the production of cocoa powder in the country in 2008 and selling it to our customers worldwide, Tema’s expansion is necessary to meet customers’ demand for high quality cocoa powder. “
“In addition, we recognize that the best way to protect cocoa is to improve the livelihoods and well-being of farmers and their communities. The best path to sustainable business practices is to work with government agencies and other stakeholders who know exactly what works for their local communities. In this way, both parties can do what they do best and achieve a real transformation together, “added Mr. van der Weij.
For Côte d’Ivoire, Cargill also plans to spend another $ 1.2 million to implement scalable mapping and monitoring technologies for 2020, including GPS polygon mapping and a digital cooperative management (CMS) system to improve supply chain traceability. In Ghana , where Cargill has already achieved 100 percent traceability in its supply chain from producer to factory with these technologies, the company will continue to invest in GPS polygon mapping of new operations.
Data from the use of GPS polygon mapping and electronic bean tracking solutions shed light on how Cargill designs and uses its sustainability programs to help its customers meet consumer demand for sustainable produce. Cargill’s Digital CMS ensures that farmers and agricultural organizations are able to manage their farms and receive secure, timely payments for their beans through digital payment options.