wcf Newsletter NOVEMBER to DECEMBER 2011
President’s Message
2011 was a key year for the World Cocoa Foundation. In the last year, we saw programs come to an end and new programs beginning. We welcomed new members, officers, and staff and we have seen tremendous growth in our operations, services to members, and programs in cocoa-growing communities.
The Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP) was a successful project that began in 2003 and concluded at the end of 2011. We reached our goal by providing services to more than 150,000 farmers through Farmer Field School trainings, Video Viewing Clubs, and a variety of additional agricultural and business skills development trainings. I would like to thank our funding and implementing partners for their many years dedicated to promoting cocoa sustainability through this program:
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), European Union, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (Nigeria), Fonds de Développement et de Promotion des activités des producteurs de café et de cacao (Côte d'Ivoire), SOCODEVI/Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Forest and Landscape Denmark/Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM Germany), Department for International Development (UK), GTZ, Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Associates in Rural Development (ARD USA), and Transfair USA
As we announced last October, the WCF African Cocoa Initiative (WCF/ACI), is a new partnership between WCF and twelve of our member companies, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH). With the official launch of the program scheduled for January 2012, we are excited about the expanded opportunities to empower farmers, to increase their incomes, and to advance food security through increased capacity and services in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Last December, we welcomed two new members to WCF. We also expanded the WCF team with the addition of Mr. Kwasi Yeboah Konadu, who is the chief of party for WCF/ACI and will be based in Accra, Ghana. In October, we welcomed new officers for 2012 – Co-Vice Chairs Jeff Morgan of Mars, Inc. and Nicko Debenham of Armajaro Trading Ltd. – and elected representatives to the WCF Executive Committee for 2012 – Steve Genzoli of Ghirardelli Chocolate Company and Dimeji Owofemi of Multi-Trex Integrated Foods. Anne Alonzo of Kraft Foods will continue to serve as Chairwoman and Andy McCormick of The Hershey Company will continue to serve as Secretary/Treasurer through 2012.
It has been my privilege to work alongside our members, officers, staff, and most importantly, the cocoa farmers that we serve. I look forward to continued progress and growth in 2012 and wish you all a prosperous new year. Please plan to join us at the 2012 WCF Partnership Meeting & Roundtable Sessions – June 13-14, 2012 in Washington, D.C. and also October 24-25, 2012 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Regards,
Bill Guyton
New MemberS
WCF members represent more than 80% of the global cocoa market. We welcomed twelve new members in 2011, and one new member to date in 2012, adding to the geographic diversity and international corporate representation within the membership base. New members in 2011 were: Clif Bar & Company (USA), General Mills (USA), Guan Chong Cocoa Manufacturer Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia), Haigh’s Chocolate (Australia), ITOCHU Food Sales & Marketing Co., Ltd (Japan), JB Cocoa Sdn. Bhd, PT Bumitangerang Mesindotama/BT Cocoa (Indonesia), Royce’ Confect Co., Ltd (Japan), Seattle Chocolate Company (USA), Tulip Cocoa Processing Limited (Nigeria), Valrhona SAS (France) and most recently, Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops Pty Ltd (Australia). New member for 2012 is Tachibana & Co. (Japan).
