Nestlé has announced a series of measures to tackle child labour in its cocoa supply chain, boost farm incomes and achieve full traceability in cocoa production.

The company is aiming to improve the livelihoods of cocoa-farming families, while also advancing regenerative agriculture practices and gender equality.

Cash incentives will be paid to cocoa-farming households for certain activities, such as enrolment of children in school or pruning, in the hope of encouraging agricultural practices that are designed to build social and economic resilience over time.

Cocoa-farming families will now be rewarded not only for the quantity and quality of cocoa beans they produce but also for the benefits they provide to the environment and local communities, said Nestlé. These incentives are on top of the premium introduced by the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and the premiums it offers for certified cocoa.

Chief executive Mark Schneider said: “Our goal is to have an additional tangible, positive impact on a growing number of cocoa-farming families, especially in areas where poverty is widespread and resources are scarce, and to help close the living income gap they face over time.

In Association with

“We will continue to help children go to school, empower women, improve farming methods and facilitate financial resources. We believe that, together with governments, NGOs and others in the cocoa industry, we can help improve the lives of cocoa-farming families and give children the chance to learn and grow in the safe and healthy environment they deserve.”