Nestlé Expands Program to Improve Livelihoods Along Cocoa Supply Chain

Nestlé has announced the expansion of its Income Accelerator program, an initiative aimed at improving the economic and social conditions of cocoa farming families while promoting sustainable farming practices. After a pilot phase in Côte d'Ivoire with 1,000 families in 2020 and an expansion to 10,000 families in 2022, the company now plans to reach 50,000 families by 2026 , in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, with a long-term goal of 160,000 beneficiary families by 2030.

The positive results of the program were confirmed by an independent evaluation conducted by KIT Institute in 2024. Despite a difficult season marked by poor harvests due to climate change, participating families experienced: an 18% increase in productivity compared to the control group; a 15% increase in family income; a 31% improvement in child well-being scores; 88% of children enrolled in school, up from 81% in 2022.

In concrete terms, the program provides financial incentives of up to 500 Swiss francs per year for families who send their children to school regularly, adopt good agricultural practices to improve crops, carry out agroforestry activities (such as planting trees for shade), diversify their income through alternative crops or livestock farming.

“Our Income Accelerator is one of the most strategic initiatives in the field of sustainability. The interest of governments and industry players gives us confidence that only by working together can we generate a significant impact,” commented Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestlé.

Darrell High, Nestlé Cocoa Manager, also stressed the importance of continually adapting the program: “Since the pilot in 2020, we have refined our approach by listening to families and evaluating data. This year’s results show that we are headed in the right direction.”

In the next phase, Nestlé will simplify incentive structures to make them clearer and easier to implement, while maintaining the same level of financial support. The goal is to scale a development model that combines poverty alleviation, environmental protection and inclusive growth.

With over 430,000 tonnes of cocoa purchased each year, Nestlé is one of the world’s largest buyers. This makes its commitment to building a fairer and more sustainable cocoa supply chain, capable of combating phenomena such as child labour and endemic poverty in farming communities, even more crucial.