• Carbon reduction: Estimated 1.5 million tons of CO₂ to be cut over 30 years through regenerative practices.
• Scale and reach: 25,000 farmers across Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria to benefit from agroforestry and sustainability training.
• Land transformation: Over 72,000 hectares of cocoa farms to transition into agroforestry systems with 2.8 million trees planted.

Nestlé and ofi have unveiled their largest global agroforestry partnership yet, targeting long-term carbon reductions and a shift toward regenerative agriculture in cocoa production. The initiative spans Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria, and will train approximately 25,000 farmers in climate-smart practices and crop residue management over the next five years.

The initiative is projected to reduce over 1.5 million tons of CO₂ by 2055, verified by ofi’s carbon footprinting experts. “People are at the heart of our climate actions,” said Darrell High, Cocoa Plan Manager at Nestlé. “We’re working with ofi to help farmers transition to climate-smart farming practices. By supporting a move towards a more regenerative food system, we can continue to build a more responsible cocoa supply chain and progress towards our shared climate goals for 2030 and beyond.”

Key program components include:

• Training in sustainable farming: Farmers will learn techniques such as planting shade trees and managing cocoa husk residues to improve soil health and cut emissions.
• Environmental stewardship education: Emphasis on compliance with standards like the African Regional Sustainability Standard (ARS) and EUDR regulations.
• Incentivization: Financial rewards will be provided to farmers who plant and maintain forest trees.
• Carbon tracking: Progress will be monitored using ofi’s AI-powered Carbon Stock Monitoring tool and AtSource Digital Footprint Calculator (DFC).

RELATED ARTICLE: Nestlé Transforms Cocoa Husks into Low-carbon Fertilizer

The partnership will plant 2.8 million trees and convert 72,000 hectares of land to agroforestry, backed by third-party verification from seedling to growth. These changes support both Nestlé’s Cocoa Plan and 2050 Net Zero objectives, while advancing ofi’s Cocoa Compass and its broader “Choices for Change” sustainability platform.

“Together, we’re addressing climate challenges by putting farmers at the center of the solution,” said Andrew Brooks, Global Head of Cocoa Sustainability at ofi. “Collaborating closely with cocoa communities, we can support farmers in adapting and mitigating climate change and help strengthen the supply of sustainable cocoa ingredients.”

Implementation is already underway in all three regions, signaling a major move toward climate resilience and supply chain sustainability in the cocoa sector.

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