Global food and beverage company Nestlé and ingredients supplier ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) announced the launch of a new joint cocoa agroforestry partnership, targeting regenerative farming practices to reduce carbon emissions and combat deforestation.

Partnership to drive climate-smart agriculture

Singapore-based ofi is one of the world’s largest suppliers of food ingredients and has partnered with Nestlé for over 15 years to produce sustainable cocoa. Nestlé, one of the largest corporate cocoa consumers with roughly 430,000 tons sourced annually—primarily from Ghana and the Ivory Coast—has committed to climate action through this new collaboration.

The partnership, which is already underway, will involve approximately 25,000 farmers across Brazil, the Ivory Coast, and Nigeria. The goal is to convert farms to agroforestry, integrating trees with pastures and crop lands, and implement crop residue management practices. In addition, the initiative will provide farmers with training on climate-smart agricultural practices and broader environmental sustainability issues.

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Regenerative agriculture and reforestation

The program aims to plant over 2.8 million trees and cultivate more than 72,000 hectares (around 178,000 acres) of agroforestry. Participating farmers will also receive financial incentives for planting and maintaining forest trees. The companies estimate that this effort will reduce over 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions over the next 30 years.

Andrew Brooks, Global Head of Cocoa Sustainability at ofi, said:

“We are thrilled to partner with Nestlé on this global climate action initiative. Together, we’re addressing climate challenges by putting farmers at the center of the solution. Collaborating closely with cocoa communities, we can support farmers in adapting and mitigating climate change while strengthening the sustainable cocoa supply.”

Nestlé's commitment to net zero emissions

Nestlé has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. This goal is part of the company’s broader climate action strategy, which includes targets to reduce emissions by 20% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. As part of its plan, Nestlé aims to eliminate deforestation, conserve natural habitats, and plant hundreds of millions of trees to support agroforestry and reforestation efforts.

Darrell High, Cocoa Plan Manager at Nestlé, said:

“People are at the heart of our climate actions. 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.”

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