Direct sourcing model improves sustainability services
Direct sourcing model improves sustainability services
Veronica Dodor is a Ghanaian Cocoa Horizons registered farmer.
Direct sourcing model improves sustainability services
In 2015, Barry Callebaut acquired a direct sourcing and farm services model in Ghana to reach tens of thousands of farmers, buying their cocoa and giving them access to Cocoa Horizons activities such as coaching, tools and inputs, e.g. pruning equipment and quality seedlings, as well as financing to fund investments in improving farm quality.
Getting one step closer to farmers enables our teams on the ground to build relationships, have a closer understanding of the challenges they face to create tailored solutions to positively impact farmers’ livelihoods and help lift them out of poverty. Community-level interventions are a strong part of the program - with farmers undergoing sensitization and monitoring to eliminate child labor from the cocoa supply chain.
Bringing up a child is a major concern for every mother. I used to worry a lot about children who are out of school because they are working in cocoa farming, until the Cocoa Horizons Project came along. The child labor class has really sensitized the men who were originally reluctant to educate their children, especially girls. Now the majority of our children are in school, so I’m actually feeling the impact of the program since it is helping us to champion the course of eliminating child labor related issues in our community.