The international cocoa and chocolate giants Barry Callebaut AG, Zürich, and Nestlé SA, Vevey, are partnering on large scale agroforestry project in Côte d’Ivoire.  

The long-term agreement will roll out 11,500 ha of agroforestry, including payments for ecosystem services (PES) to more than 6,000 farmers in Côte d’Ivoire. The implementation of the agroforestry project is underway, with three cooperatives in the South-Western parts of Côte d’Ivoire already engaged in the project, scaling to ten cooperatives and reaching full scale after five years of planting.

The project is fully aligned with the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, which aims to make Nestlé’s cocoa supply chain more sustainable, Nestlé’s overarching Net Zero Roadmap and commitment to regenerative agriculture. This joint partnership supports Nestlé’s and Barry Callebaut’s climate-smart cocoa ambitions, by aiming to remove up to 1.3 million tonnes of CO2e over 25 years. This project also aligns with the Science-based Target initiative (SBTi), as well SustainCert verification and the Gold Standard Foundation.

“As part of Nestlé’s Net Zero roadmap, we are committed to reducing our business' climate impact all the way to the farms we source from. A trusted partner like Barry Callebaut is essential to achieving success. Over 21,000 football fields are covered by our joint agroforestry project to support farmers who are part of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan,” said Darrell High, Cocoa Manager at Nestlé