ADM Cocoa Focuses on Meeting Tomorrow’s Demand at World Cocoa Foundation Event

ADM Cocoa is joining key players in the global sustainable cocoa community at the World Cocoa Foundation’s 23rd Partnership Meeting and Roundtable Sessions in Washington DC, 5-6 June 2013. Committed to improving the livelihoods of farmers in the cocoa growing regions of West Africa and South East Asia, ADM Cocoa is one of the main sponsors of the Partnership Meeting. The event is a forum for stakeholders to discuss sustainability topics, sharing knowledge and expertise to address global cocoa supply issues.Taking a holistic approach to strengthening rural cocoa-farming communities, ADM’s flagship cocoa sustainability programme – Socially and Environmentally Responsible Agricultural Practices (S.E.R.A.P.) – has already provided more than $15.3 million in financial incentives to cooperatives and individual farms in Côte d’Ivoire alone. The programme has now been expanded into Nigeria and Indonesia with the support of facilitating partners.

“At ADM, we remain committed to meeting growing customer and consumer interest in supporting farming communities around the world,” comments Dr. Kai-Uwe Ostheim, general manager – global sustainability cocoa at ADM. “If no action is taken, demand will overtake supply of cocoa in the future. Collaboration is essential if the global cocoa supply chain is to meet tomorrow’s needs. Key topics to be discussed at the Partnership Meeting include the sustainable supply of cocoa, productivity increases and farming income, ensuring bean quality and addressing social and gender issues to develop thriving cocoa communities.”

“Aiming to address the real life, long-term needs of farmers, families and their communities, ADM’s innovative, grass roots approach to the development of sustainable cocoa farming practices has already reached more than 60,000 cocoa farmers throughout Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Indonesia. In particular, we give access to training to share good agricultural practices, social responsibility, environmental stewardship, product quality and farm productivity. We also focus on training and empowering women, who are often the socio-economic backbone of cocoa growing communities and a vital part of the rural development process,” adds Michiel Hendriksz, ADM Cocoa’s director of sustainability and Secretary/Treasurer of the WCF Executive Committee.

“By working closely with industry and non-industry stakeholders, including leading food manufacturers, non-government organisations, governmental bodies, certification authorities, farmer groups and industry associations and partnerships, we can achieve a sustainable future for cocoa,” adds Dr. Ostheim. “Through S.E.R.A.P., we help to drive social change and support the creation of entrepreneurial business minded farmers. Increasingly, we are looking at innovative ways to address cocoa sustainability – whether via the use of smart phones or by taking the lead in connecting with independent, non-organised farmers that are often overlooked by other sustainability initiatives.”

For further information, please contact: ADM International Sàrl
Tel: + 41 (0)21 702 8400 Fax: + 41 (0)21 702 8888 E-mail:media-eu@adm.com
For further press information, please contact: John Francis/Lucy Brice
Barrett Dixon Bell, Craig Court, 25 Hale Road, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 2EY, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)161 925 4700 Fax: +44 (0)161 925 4701
Email:johnfrancis@bdb.co.uk orlucy@bdb.co.uk