Mars Commits $4.5 Million to Development Partnerships in Africa

17/04/07 Mars, Incorporated has announced partnerships with leading international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and development agencies for a multi-year program to provide economic, educational and environmental assistance to communities and individuals in West Africa.

Mars, which will commit $4.5 million to the programs over the next three years, will double its existing annual contribution to the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) and will partner with Africare, the International Foundation for Education & Self-Help (IFESH), the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ) and the Rainforest Alliance on projects to increase economic assistance for local cocoa farmers, improve local infrastructure and education, and enhance agricultural sustainability.

Mars will meet with these project partners during the next three months to identify the areas of greatest need, develop specific projects to address those needs, and implement ways of working that ensure synergies between the partners and local governments are maximized.

“We are excited by this opportunity to work with partners that share our deep commitment to sustainable development in Africa,” said Brice Russell, Chief Procurement Officer of Mars. “Mars is committed to long-term solutions to enhance the lives of the people and communities where cocoa is farmed , and we expect these partnerships to positively benefit thousands of African farmers and their families.”

Mars will work with Africare, a leading NGO that specializes in aid to Africa. With broad experience throughout Africa, Africare is the oldest and largest African-American organization in the field. In the short term Africare will investigate how its resources can best be used in the cocoa communities of West Africa.

“This partnership is symbolic of the commitment that both Africare and Mars have made to the continent of Africa,” noted Africare President Julius E. Coles. “It’s an important step toward establishing strong, self-sustainable economies that will support and provide services like education and employment opportunities, especially for underserved populations,” noted Coles.

Mars will work with IFESH to improve educational opportunities for farmers and children in the region. Under the vision and leadership of the late Reverend Leon H. Sullivan, IFESH was established to reduce hunger and poverty, empower the local community by raising the standard of literacy, and to foster cultural, social, and economic relations between Americans and Africans, particularly those Americans who are of African descent.

Through the establishment of multipurpose training centers focusing on literacy development, health and agricultural training, the partners will seek to improve the quality of life of cocoa growing families in West Africa. IFESH will also work synergistically with other Mars partners, to bring technical assistance and training to the centers, particularly in agricultural training and sustainable farming techniques.

Mars, GTZ – a German government enterprise – and the Rainforest Alliance, an international conservation NGO, will focus on development of best farming processes including crop diversification and preservation of biodiversity, providing support for improved farming skills in West Africa.

“GTZ looks forward to the development of a public private partnership with Mars to promote sustainable cocoa production in West Africa”, said Carsten Schmitz-Hoffman from GTZ.

“The Rainforest Alliance believes that a partnership with Mars, GTZ and the cocoa farmers of West Africa will yield real gains in addressing the persistent social and environmental challenges in the cocoa farms,” said Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance.

The ICI is a foundation comprising cocoa industry and civil society partners. ICI’s comprehensive strategy includes innovative community-based solutions bringing positive sustainable change to families and ensuring children are in school.

“With proven models in place and motivated partners on the ground, additional funds from Mars will enable ICI to increase its program and ensure many more children will be in school and not at risk of hazardous work on cocoa farms” said Peter McAllister Executive Director of ICI. Mars is pleased that this additional funding will allow ICI to expand these proven successful programs in West Africa.

These initiatives from Mars Incorporated build upon a long history of commitment to sustainable cocoa farming across the world. The Mars Center for Cocoa Science was launched in 1982 in Bahia, Brazil and continues its work today to reduce the impact of pests and diseases on the cocoa tree and to disseminate information on best practices for sustainable cocoa production worldwide.

In 1998, Mars and the Smithsonian co-sponsored a historic international conference in Panama to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss cocoa sustainability. The conference led to the creation of numerous partnership programs that address the long-term sustainability of the global cocoa crop.

Mars will continue to support the range of public private partnerships in which it is engaged including the Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP), which educates farmers through Farmer Field Schools and helps introduce best practices for cocoa production in Africa and its program with Winrock International, which enhances educational opportunities for West African children. To date, more than 1,350 children have received help through the program.