Nestlé launches project to combat deforestation in Ivory Coast

Côte d'Ivoire, the world's leading cocoa producer, has witnessed a significant decline in forest coverage from 16 million hectares in the 1960s to two million hectares today, mainly due to cocoa plantations. Keystone / Bagus Indahono

Nestlé is launching the second phase of a project to combat deforestation in Ivory Coast, collaborating with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

The initiative aims to address the environmental damage caused by cocoa farming. In the first phase, Nestlé, the Ivorian government, and the Earthworm Foundation worked together to protect and reforest the Cavally forest, a biodiversity reserve threatened by cocoa-related deforestation and illegal gold panning.

CHF4 million budget

The project has been allocated a budget of CHF4 million ($4.46 million) and has now expanded to include Swiss trading company Cocoasource and French company Touton. Nestlé provided an update on the first phase, highlighting the significant reduction in deforestation, natural regeneration of 7,000 hectares, and reforestation of nearly 1,500 hectares.

Joseph Larrose, the deputy managing director of Touton, stressed the importance of restoring the forest for the cocoa industry’s sustainability, as the ecosystem directly affects the availability of the raw material.

Ivory Coast, the world’s leading cocoa producer, has witnessed a significant decline in forest coverage from 16 million hectares in the 1960s to two million hectares today, mainly due to cocoa plantations.

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“Imported deforestation”

The Swiss-based NGO, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has criticised “imported deforestation” and highlighted the high risk of deforestation in countries that supply key raw materials to the Swiss food industry.

The NGO points out that eight key raw materials for the Swiss food industry, including cocoa, coconut, coffee and palm oil, account for almost twice the area of the Alpine country’s forests. According to the WWF, 54% of cocoa imports into Switzerland come from countries where the risk of deforestation is high or very high.

The European Parliament recently adopted regulations to ban the import of products linked to deforestation. The WWF urges Switzerland to align its legislation with European regulations sooner rather than later. In an interview with AFP, Romain Devèze, raw materials expert for the Swiss branch of the WWF stated, “It would be good if we didn’t have to wait ten years for Switzerland to align itself with European regulations”.

Monica Rubiolo, representing SECO, stated that Switzerland aims to improve supply chains and recognises its significant role in cocoa processing. Nestlé alone reported CHF8.1 billion in confectionery sales in 2022.