Leading members of Brazil’s chocolate and cocoa sectors have launched a sustainability initiative. “CocoaAction Brasil” aims to coordinate companies in Brazil, federal and state governmental bodies, sector associations, certification systems, other stakeholders to address a range of sustainability issues in the cocoa sector. Leading multinational chocolate and cocoa industry members that have joined the initiative include Barry Callebaut, Cargill, Mars, Mondelēz International, Nestlé and Olam, as well as the Brazilian chocolate maker Dengo.

According to Pedro Ronca, who made the announcement and manages the initiative on behalf of World Cocoa Foundation, CocoaAction Brasil aims to help private sector companies work together across the supply chain, speak with a unified voice with national and local governments, and learn together through a consolidated monitoring and evaluation system.

Mr Ronca, who works for the Brazilian agribusiness consulting firm P&A Marketing, stated that CocoaAction Brasil will work to find solutions that increase productivity, improve the quality of Brazil’s cocoa – including controlling pests and diseases –, improve farmers’ living and working conditions, strengthen farmer organizations, and support sustainable forest-positive cocoa production systems.