Women are at the heart of cocoa growing communities and are the vital link between farms and families. When they have an opportunity to earn an income, the whole community thrives. Farm productivity increases, household incomes rise and children are better educated, healthier, and better fed. Cargill champions women throughout the cocoa supply chain by improving access to land, money, training and farmer organisations, and works closely with NGO and funding partners to help women advance economically.
Just one example is that through working with the humanitarian organisation CARE, Cargill has supported the creation of nearly 200 community Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. These have enabled more than 4,500 people – 75% of them women – to save over USD$130,000 and borrow USD$85,000 to start and grow their own businesses, pay school fees, and invest in their farms.
Hear the stories of women in West Africa
Cargill’s new leaflet, which is attached, highlights the many roles women play in cocoa growing communities in West Africa, and showcases the work undertaken to create opportunities for women across the cocoa value chain. To discover more visit www.cargill.com/womeninvested
