Jun 01, 2023
UPL’s Action Plan for a Sustainable Cocoa Future
UPL is proud to be a signatory to the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) partnership. We’re working with the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, alongside leading cocoa and chocolate companies, to uplift cocoa communities and support farmers’ transition towards a more sustainable cocoa industry.
As UPL transitions to the CFI 2.0 with expanded targets for 2022-2025, our Action Plan for CFI 2.0 reflects a commitment to delivering positive impacts for cocoa communities and driving the sustainable transformation of the sector.
The Action Plan includes sustainability initiatives such as running good agricultural practices (GAPs) and stewardship training programmes, known locally as Applique Bien (Côte d’Ivoire) and N’Guso Papa (Ghana), to train farmers on the safe and effective usage of protective equipment, and on the effective usage of natural solutions. By 2025, UPL aims to train an additional 45,000 cocoa farmers in GAPs and stewardship methods.
UPL also aims to enrol 26,500 farmers in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), securing the long-term economic resilience of cocoa farmers and their local communities. Similarly, as part of our championing of gender equality across farming systems, UPL have committed to training and upskilling 10,500 Ivorian and Ghanaian women farmers through women’s empowerment activities and projects.
During 2023, UPL will also be launching new crop protection products to ensure farmers can ensure every cocoa bean is grown sustainably with leading natural solutions. UPL has worked closely with cocoa exporters such as Cargill, Barry Callebaut and Olam to focus on distributing the next generation of innovative products, including Banzaï and Banzaï Bonus that are the first natural solutions specifically designed for cocoa farmers that can deliver a 40% increase in yield.
