Demand for coconut oil is on the rise: the product has become a popular alternative to palm oil used in chocolates, pastries and desserts. Due to its monoculture cultivation and displacement of valuable forest ecosystems, palm oil is an enormous sustainability risk. To ensure that coconut farming does not result in the same risks as palm oil farming, HALBA has established a direct supply chain for coconut oil from Ivory Coast and promotes sustainable coconut cultivation there through dynamic agroforestry (DAF). In addition, coconut farmers are supported in obtaining Fairtrade and organic certification. Compared to Asia, where the majority of coconuts are grown, Ivory Coast is an ideal country of origin thanks to significantly shorter transport routes.
In close cooperation with the local partner Plantations Modernes de la Côte d’Ivoire (PMCI) and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), HALBA is supporting local coconut farmers in obtaining Fairtrade and organic certification with a project in Ivory Coast. Thanks to the Fairtrade Minimum Price, this allows them to charge more for their coconuts, and they also profit from Fairtrade and organic premiums. HALBA will also establish a transparent supply chain spanning the entire process from the cultivation of the coconuts to their processing into coconut oil.
The project also aims to successfully encourage around 100 farmers to convert their coconut cultivation to dynamic agroforestry (DAF). This combines the cultivation of coconut trees with timber, fruit and cocoa trees as well as shrubs and food crops such as manioc, beans, maize and pineapple. The project makes a significant contribution to food security for the farmers involved, as well as increasing and diversifying their income. The local partner PMCI plans to convert 30 hectares of its industrial coconut plantation to DAF by the end of 2024. The project is being financially supported by the Coop Sustainability Fund.
