Some beneficiaries receiving their awards
Over 17,615 farmers under the Nestlé Cocoa Plan (NCP) in Ghana are set to benefit from a GH¢5.2million premium package.
The package is part of Nestlé’s commitment to developing thriving and resilient communities within its value chain.
Effective July 2018, Nestlé, through its implementing partners, Cocoanect and EcomAgro industrial Corp Ltd, will pay each farmer GH¢14 per certified bag, which is about 14.3 percent increment on the GH¢12 paid in 2017.
During the launch of the package, selected farmers were rewarded with materials, including Wellington boots, cutlass, sprayers, pruners and solar television set for their commitment towards fulfilling NCP key pillars – Better Farming, Better Cocoa, Better Lives.
The Nestlé Cocoa Plan (NCP) falls under the Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) approach, which brings business and society together, creating sustainable economic value that also produces wider benefits for society.
Under the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, Nestlé aims to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and quality of their produce in line with the company’s aim of enhancing lives and contributing to a healthier future.
Under the NCP, Nestlé collaborates with partners like Ecom, International Cocoa Initiative, Cocoanect and Cocoa Merchants.
Speaking at the launch of the Premium Package, Nana Agyeman Badu, Chief of Mankraso-Kunsuin the Ashanti Region, congratulated all farmers under the plan for taking the necessary steps to get certified.
Nana Badu acknowledged Nestlé as a credible partner to farmers.
He encouraged all farmers to take capacity-building trainings seriously and urged them to adopt good agronomic practices learnt from the workshops to improve their yields.
Fatih Ermis, Head of Agricultural Services, Nestlé Central West Africa Region, said: “At Nestlé, we have an ambition to help improve 30 million livelihoods of people directly connected to our business by 2030 through our agricultural focused projects such as the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and Nestlé Cereals Plan.
“We believe that better farming will translate into better lives and better cocoa. This premium payment, which our farmers are benefiting from, will help motivate them to produce quality cocoa that will meet our production standards, help increase local sourcing and contribute to developing the local economy.”