Sustainability

Hershey’s Cocoa for Good program already making an impact in West Africa

05-Nov-2018 - Last updated on 05-Nov-2018 at 11:22 GMT

Mary Afrakomah, 7, at the Hemang Buoho D/A Primary School, Afigya Kwabre District, Ashanti Region, Ghana, holding a Vivi packet, a vitamin fortified groundnut-based snack that is provided to 50,000 school children in Ghana every day through Hershey’s Energize Learning program. Pic: The Hershey Company

Company’s strategy focuses on four key areas: nourishing children, elevating youth, prospering communities and preserving ecosystems in West Africa, where 70% of world’s cocoa is grown.

Since launching in April, Hershey says its $500 million Cocoa For Good sustainability program has supported 9,000 farmers in West Africa in acquiring business skills, built five schools and supported 31 other education institutions.

The US candymaker’s in-house strategy for sustainable cocoa includes investing half a billion dollars by 2030 to nourish children, elevate youth, build prosperous communities and preserve natural ecosystems.

Hershey’s Cocoa For Good mission includes:

Increase access to nutritious foods. Families need access to nutritious foods to live healthy lives and avoid issues like anemia, which affects 1.6 billion people worldwide.
Eliminate child labor. A symptom of poverty in cocoa communities, children aged 14–17 are at the greatest risk.
Economically empower women. West African women are 45% of cocoa farm labor, but have less access to training, financial services and land than men.
Increase agroforestry and shade-grown cocoa. Cocoa grown in the shade is productive for up to 15 years longer than cocoa grown in full sun.

In addition to enhancing growers’ business acumen, the company says it also helped 7,500 farmers earn additional income through education on crop diversification.

To find out more, check out Hershey’s Cocoa For Good video.