Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut has announcement that it will establish new practices for growing cocoa in Ecuador that will be climate-smart and improve sustainability, farmer productivity and farm profitability.
The “Farm of the Future” strategy is part of the company’s strategy “Chocolate Forever” Package make sustainable chocolate the norm over the next three years.
Commenting, Pablo Perversi, Director of Innovation, Sustainability and Quality and Global Head of the Group’s Gastronomic Branch, said: “Our Farm of the Future aims to contribute to the global food system innovation movement. The creation of this cluster is a valuable vehicle for offering new opportunities for sustainable cocoa farming, innovation and research.
Proving ground
As a testing ground, Barry Callebaut chose a 640-hectare property located in the Cerecita Valley, between Guayaquil and the Pacific Ocean. The infrastructure and operations advancement will begin with the planting of cocoa seedlings on the 400 hectares of unplanted farm land.
Elsewhere, Steven Retzlaff, President of Global Cocoa at Barry Callebaut, said: “With the opening of Farm of the Future, Barry Callebaut is further strengthening its cocoa farming research capabilities to benefit yield, sustainability and quality. cocoa.
The farm, with a network of more than 30 R&D centers and more than 350 R&D colleagues, aims to test agricultural techniques, pre- and post-harvest processes, fermentation control, income diversification and improving cost control in the context of its research work. .
The company also aims to employ nearly 80 local people once the farm is fully operational.
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