Transparency

Cargill’s Cocoa Promise adopts latest technology to improve transparency in supply chain

27-May-2020 - Last updated on 26-May-2020 at 15:33 GMT

Cargill said its digital tools are providing cooperatives and cocoa farmers with vital information to also track the coronavirus outbreak. Pic: Cargill

Related tags Cargill Cocoa Sustainability

Use of barcoded cocoa bags and digital Cooperative Management Systems (CMS), means 50% of sustainable cocoa beans in its direct supply chain are now traceable from farm-to-factory, Cargill claims.

Cocoa supplier Cargill’s adoption of more data-driven and digital technologies has helped its supply chain to become more sustainable, the company claims in its latest progress report.

The Dutch-headquartered company sources its cocoa from five countries – Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia – and through its Cargill Cocoa Promise, it says it is “realizing the opportunities offered by technologies, such as mobile money, GPS mapping and digital data collection, which allow for greater transparency on how cocoa is grown and sourced from farmers”.

Cargill reports that it sees digitization driving change across the entire cocoa supply chain, and utilizing the valuable information that is collected will inform the company on how to achieve the best impact on the ground.

It said it has developed an extensive data platform that has more than 300 data points along the supply chain, and that the data is used to inform customers through an interactive customer portal about how collaborative sustainability programs are benefiting farmers and their communities.

“This sustainability progress report highlights how Cargill uses technology to connect every dot in the cocoa supply chain. Maximum transparency in the cocoa sector is critical for making real progress on sustainability. It not only helps cocoa farmers, their families and communities prosper, but also helps protect our planet. I am confident that working with our partners we can continue to make great strides in achieving a thriving cocoa sector,” said Harold Poelma, president of Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate.

Coronavirus

Cargill said its digital tools are providing cooperatives and cocoa farmers with information, such as digital farm development plans and market insights, to help improve their farming practices. In addition, the digital tools serve as a means to communicate with farmers during a crisis, such as the current coronavirus pandemic.

It said its digital farming tool is amplifying government safety and sanitation messages to help curb the spread of the virus in farming communities. Voice messaging is also used to reach ten thousand farmers with this information in a variety of local languages.