ECA announces programme for its Rome Cocoa Forum

Chocovision, which had been a stand-alone bi-annual event organised by Barry Callebaut pre-covid, is now incorporated into the European Cocoa Forum with a roundtable discussion on traceability taking place on Thursday 15 September

The moderator will be David Rose, Director, LACS Training and the roundtable will discuss the implementation of traceability of cocoa beans to farmer level in the cocoa supply chain - considered to be a key condition for both Cocoa and Forest Initiative (CFI) and the EU Deforestation Regulation to be effective in curbing deforestation.

Keynote speaker will: Selassie Atadika, Chef, MIDUNU with other speakers including: Patrick Stoop, General Managing Partner, C-lever; Euphrasie Aka, Country Director & Regional Representative for West and Central Africa, International Cocoa Initiative, Ghana; Mary Arthur, Farmer & Purchasing Clerk, Bobi community, Ghana;  Martin Short, President, World Cocoa Foundation; Alex Assanvo, Executive Secretary, Initiative Cacao Côte d’Ivoire – Ghana (ICCIG).

There will also be a closing intervention from Peter Boone, Chief Executive Officer, Barry-Callebaut.

Other topics slated for discussion in Rome include:

• Food Safety: EU targets, pesticides, quality assurance and communication with cocoa producing countries
• Supply & Demand: Structure of the cocoa supply chain, drivers and evolution of the cocoa supply & consumer behaviour
• Innovation Trends: Plantation techniques, soil fertility and water management, new applications and health benefits of cocoa products
• Deforestation & Traceability: EU regulation on deforestation, sustainable land-use practices, implementation of traceability and value creation

See the event programme ​for more details and registration.​