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With a successful history of over 220 years, ED&F
Man is a global supplier of foods, feeds, bio-
energy
and services. In each of their major business sectors,
they are within the top three in the world. ED&F Man
Cocoa is one of the world's
leading merchants of cocoa beans and semi-finished
products. In addition to these exporting businesses,
ED&F Man employ agents who gather information and
monitor the quality of the cocoa as it grows. A network
of crop forecasters and statisticians provides a crucial
advantage in
information and market analysis.
"Based on the principle that groups are more efficient
than individuals alone, ED&F Man Cocoa has
committed itself to working through active contribution,
membership and support of various trade and
industry
organisations to promote sustainable development
within the cocoa industry. Our contribution to the WCF
and our working involvement towards better use of
natural resources, better protection of individuals and
the development of a more responsible business
stems from an active commitment to promote positive
change."
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Listed on the Stock Exchange of Singapore,
Petra Foods
Limited is one of the world's largest
manufacturers of premium cocoa ingredients under
the Delfi(r) brand and a major chocolate confectionery
player in the Southeast Asian region. Through its two
key business divisions, the Cocoa Ingredients Division and Branded Consumer
Division,
the company's capabilities extend across the
spectrum of activities of the cocoa ingredients and
chocolate industries.
In joining the Foundation, Mr. Sin Heng Ng, director -
commercial of Petra Foods Limited states, "As a
company with a strong sense of corporate and
social responsibility, we fully support the World Cocoa
Foundation's mission of promoting a sustainable
cocoa economy through economic and social
development, and environmental conservation in
cocoa-growing communities. While promoting a
sustainable cocoa economy is significant for the long
term growth of the industry as a whole, we also share
the Foundation's view that it should be achieved in a
responsible manner. We recognize that as a
company, we would like to invest a little more in the
resources to promote such a mission, and if we are
part of an international body like the World Cocoa
Foundation, we can participate and contribute more
effectively to a shared future with shared benefits."
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Nineteen year old Firmin from the village of Yadio in
Côte d'Ivoire established his own cocoa nursery
(pictured at right),
helped his father modernize his farm, and now
teaches family and friends new farming techniques.
Firmin, who left school at the age of 13, recently
completed an agriculture leadership training program
for out-of-school youth. Through the program, Firmin
learned farming techniques for both cocoa and other
crops, child labor prevention, HIV/AIDS awareness,
and small business and leadership skills.
The agriculture leadership program is a part of the Child Labor Alternatives through Sustainable Systems in Education Program (CLASSE) which works with in- and out-of-school youth in Côte d'Ivoire through classes and agriculture clubs. CLASSE is implemented by Winrock International with funding from the World Cocoa Foundation, Cloetta Fazer AB, Mars Inc., and the Norwegian Association of Chocolate Manufacturers. WCF thanks Winrock International for contributing this story. |
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In Manabi and Los Rios provinces, 3,500 farmers
have attended cocoa fairs organized by cocoa farmers
and local authorities with support from SUCCESS Alliance
Ecuador. Farmer Field School graduates,
exporters including World Cocoa Foundation member
ANECACAO, the INIAP research insitute, organic
product companies, and other cocoa projects in the
region join together to learn, share their knowledge
and celebrate cocoa. Five cocoa fairs have been held
since September 2006.
Farmers have the opportunity to network, display their
products, demonstrate their knowledge, and compete
for prizes such as best cocoa pod. Many Farmer Field
Schools organize their own booths, such as the Las
Lajas School's booth pictured at left. Each fair also
crowns a cocoa queen selected for her creative cocoa
attire and knowledge of cocoa farming. SUCCESS
Alliance members include the World Cocoa
Foundation and US Department of Agriculture.
WCF thanks ACDI/VOCA, the program's implementer, for contributing this story. |
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Four years after planting his first cocoa trees, Mr. Dam
Van Tuan of Dak Nong Province in Vietnam harvested
2 tons of cocoa beans on his one hectare farm, up
from 1.2 tons the previous year. Mr. Tuan became
interested in cocoa after attending a World Cocoa
Foundation-sponsored Nong Lam
University (NLU) Cocoa Project workshop.
After unsuccessful attempts to grow coffee, a traditional crop in Dak Nong, Mr. Tuan was looking for an alternative crop more suitable to weather conditions on his farm. The workshop inspired him to try cocoa beginning with the 500 seedlings he received from the NLU Cocoa Project. Today, Mr. Tuan is a successful cocoa farmer and well-known resource for other farmers in the area. His farm is often the site for Farmer Field Schools and he advises farmers interested in growing cocoa (as he is pictured third from the left). Mr. Tuan recently expanded his cocoa business to include selling budwood to area nurseries and operating a fermentation business. WCF thanks the Nong Lam University Cocoa Project for contributing this story. |
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"Cocoa Basics" is a new feature designed to
provide
insight into technical aspects of cocoa production and
demonstrate how WCF programs "bring science to the
field".
Cocoa Pod Borer (Conopomorpha cramerella) is the most damaging cocoa insect pest in Southeast Asia. It destroys almost 40% of cocoa in Sulawesi, Indonesia and is a major production limiting factor in Malaysia and the Philippines. Cocoa pod borer moths lay eggs on the surface of cocoa pods. Larvae drill into the pod and feed on the pulp and placenta of developing cocoa beans. This causes clumping of beans and disturbs their development resulting in small, flat, low fat beans. Both the quality and quantity of beans produced are significantly reduced. Significant increase in "non-bean" material (e.g., cocoa pod placenta, cocoa bean shell, and flat beans) and bean quality perceptions by cocoa graders and chocolate manufacturers have been associated with severe cocoa pod borer damage. In
Sulawesi alone, the losses due to cocoa pod borer
are close to US$450 million. Several research
projects are in place to define the best methods for
controlling cocoa pod borer through integrated pest
management. Additionally, high-yielding cocoa
planting material that show some level of resistance
to cocoa pod borer are being tested in the field. The
World Cocoa Foundation ensures that research
results are disseminated to farmers participating in its
programs in the
region.
More information can be found on the Cocoa Integrated Pest Management homepage which tracks the major scientific literature relating to the Cocoa Pod Borer. The site is hosted by the Ohio State University's Agricultural Research & Development Center. WCF thanks Dr. Smilja Lambert of Mars Inc. and Dr. Leah Porter of the Chocolate Manufacturers Association/American Cocoa Research Institute for contributing to this story. |
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Click on the links below to read about WCF staff travel
to the field and participation in events. Visit the
World
Cocoa Foundation Blog on a regular basis for updates.
February 2007
Bill Guyton attends the New Liberia--Open for Business Forum. January 2007 Tracey Duffey visits Ghana. Bill Guyton and Kip Walk attend the Association for International Agricultural and Rural Development Capitol Hill Forum WCF sponsors Cocoa Educational Workshop at the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC December 2006 Robert Peck speaks at the Chocolate Technology Conference in Germany. Please share your thoughts and questions by posting a comment on a blog entry. |
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Fun Fact: Each cocoa pod contains 20 to 50 seeds.
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