Programs
WCF Cocoa Livelihoods Program
The WCF Cocoa Livelihoods Program is working to double the income of approximately 200,000 smallholder, cocoa-growing households in West and Central Africa. The overall goal of the program is to increase farmer income while strengthening local service capacity.
Program Dates:
2009-2013
The WCF Cocoa Livelihoods Program (WCF/CLP) increases farmer income while strengthening local service capacity, through three main objectives: Improve market efficiency and build capacity of farmers and farmer organizations; improve production and quality of cocoa at the farm level; improve farmers’ competitiveness on diversified farms. Key activities include: professionalizing farmer organizations (recordkeeping, operating and cash budgets, leveraging resources); increasing access to inputs and improved planting material; providing financing mechanisms for improved access to credit; farmer business skills training; and business service centers.
Countries:
Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria
Program Objectives:
- Improvement of marketing efficiency
- Improvement of cocoa production efficiency and quality at the farm level
- Improvement of farmer competitiveness on diversified cocoa farms
Program Accomplishments to Date:
- Marketing efficiency is improved: 36 farmer organizations, with over 12,500 members, to date trained in good governance practices, financial recordkeeping, expansion of membership, and strengthening commercial relationships. These farmer groups are seeing significant growth in membership and increase partnerships with input suppliers & cocoa buyers.
- Cocoa production efficiency and quality are improved at the farm level: over 106,000 farmers have been trained in good agricultural practices and farm management skills; and have increased access to improved cocoa varieties and quality agro-inputs. These foundational trainings & services will contribute to significant yield gains above the average 400 kg/hectare of the cocoa smallholder.
- Farmers improve their competitiveness on diversified cocoa farms: innovative Farmer Business Schools train farmers and integrate a farm management approach, increasing profit from cocoa and other diversified crops, and teach annual budgetary planning for household expenditures and nutritional needs. Business Service Centers (BSC) serve as a hub of services including credit and market information; training; and agricultural supplies for rural cocoa farmers. 13 BSCs have been established to date through public-private partnerships, and are hosted by agro-dealers & microfinance institutions to improve access to quality inputs.
