Mondelēz and OFI to create sustainable commercial cocoa farm

Snack and confectionery manufacturer Mondelēz International has partnered with Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) to develop the world’s single largest sustainable commercial cocoa farm.

Through this initiative, Mondelēzl and OFI aim to strengthen sustainable cocoa sourcing in Indonesia.

The project will make use of advanced climate-smart and plant science technology on a 2,000ha cocoa farm on Seram, the largest island in Maluku province, Indonesia.

The model tests a modernised and professional blueprint for best practice cocoa farming with optimal land usage and farming community planning, which will be explored as a potential model for replication across the region.

Indonesia is considered a key cocoa-producing country in the Asian region but local farmers are said to have been struggling with rising temperatures, low yields and crop disease.

By combining their expertise in cocoa-growing research and development as well as good agricultural practices, Mondelēz and OFI intend to address the issues faced by the Indonesian partner cocoa farmers.

Under the new collaboration, the two companies aim to create 700 jobs and use the 2,000ha of previously deforested brownfield land, which will be planted with cocoa and various other trees.

Additionally, 47ha of land has been identified as a high conservation value forest and is being fully protected as a vital habitat for flora and fauna.

Mondelēz International supply chain and chief procurement officer senior vice-president Quentin Roach said: “As one of the world’s leading chocolate makers, we’re on a mission to make cocoa right and to secure a sustainable future for an ingredient essential to our business.

“With nine years of measurable impact demonstrating improved farmer’s livelihoods and reduced environmental impact of cocoa farming through our signature sustainable sourcing program, Cocoa Life, we’re excited to leverage our know-how in a collaborative approach to sustainable raw material sourcing with a geographically customized solution.

“Creating opportunities to innovate, in partnership with our suppliers, and exploring the ability to scale high-yielding, forest-positive, income-generating approaches to commercial cocoa farming on the single largest farm of its kind offers attractive potential and is an important step forward on our journey to lead the future of a sustainable and resilient cocoa supply.”