ADM celebrates tripling of SERAP participants in five years

22 November 2010 – ADM is celebrating its fifth year of working with West African farmers to produce higher-quality cocoa crops through the company’s Socially and Environmentally Responsible Agricultural Practices (SERAP) programme.

Since the programme’s inception in 2005, participation has tripled and provided almost 49,000 metric tonnes of sustainable cocoa.

During the initial 2005-2006 growing year, six cooperatives with approximately 6,000 farmer members participated, delivering 4,000 metric tonnes of cocoa. During the 2009-2010 growing year, the number of participating cooperatives grew to 49, representing more than 18,000 farmers who together delivered more than 14,000 metric tonnes of sustainable SERAP cocoa. An analysis of cocoa bean quality has shown that SERAP participants regularly produce better cocoa beans with lower moisture levels.

In 2010, the programme distributed $1.25 million in funding to cooperatives and their members in Côte d’Ivoire, raising the total amount provided to participating cooperatives to more than US$4.5 million.

David Loué, ADM senior agronomist in Cote d’Ivoire, comments, “SERAP is about building a future for cocoa farming communities. ADM is grateful to the cocoa cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire for their hard work and willingness to become partners in SERAP. Their efforts are a key part of this program being a success, and by working together we can help improve the livelihoods of the cocoa communities in which they live.”

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