IFF Partner With Unilever to Improve the Lives of Haiti Vetiver Farming Communities

15 Jul 2016 --- International Flavors & Fragrances have announced a new partnership with Unilever. ‘Vetiver Together’ will work with leading non-governmental organizations to enhance the livelihoods of smallholder vetiver farmers in Haiti.

The partnership aims to sustainably improve food security, increase yields, and diversify income, while working to support women’s empowerment and environmental conservation in Haiti.

The move comes after economic pressures have resulted in farmers harvesting roots before they are fully mature, leading to low prices, poor oil yields, deforestation and soil erosion.

‘Vetiver Together’ will aim to help farmers address these challenges as well as provide training to community members. Training will cover crop and livestock production as well as soil conservation and nutrition in order to help improve social conditions and diversity of farm production and food security.

“IFF relies on small farming communities for many natural products. These farmers, their families, and communities are an important part of our supply chain,” explains Andreas Fibig, Chairman and CEO of IFF.

“Sustainability is a key enabler of our Vision2020 business strategy, and this partnership is the embodiment of one of our key sustainability strategies, Sensational People, in which we engage our employees and stakeholders to make a positive difference in the world.”

The project is a strategic social investment that recognizes that improving smallholder and community livelihoods and strengthening the Haitian vetiver supply chain are mutually beneficial.

“Sustainability is integral to how we do business at Unilever,“ explains Dhaval Buch, Chief Procurement Officer of Unilever, ”we aim to enhance the social and economic livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in our supply chain.”

“Creating a more resilient supply chain is essential to make real impact on the ground. Partnerships, like Vetiver Together, are instrumental if we are to achieve the level of systematic change that is necessary across industries and supply chains.”

Global charity Heifer International will implement the project and provide access to livestock, which will deliver both an additional food source and diversified income through products that can be bartered and sold at market.

“Livestock is a vehicle to support families and communities, provide highly nutritious foods, empower women, and manage economic risk,” said Pierre Ferrari, CEO of Heifer International.

“Coupling livestock with improvements in the quality of the vetiver crop through optimized conservation practices makes ‘Vetiver Together’ a true example of the good that can happen when multi-stakeholder partnerships are managed and executed with care.”