Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate company has outlined its plan to eliminate deforestation from its cocoa supply chain in Ghana and other countries.

Cargill’s ‘deforestation action plan’ dubbed ‘Protect Our Planet’ provides concrete actions the company is taking to achieve 100% cocoa bean traceability and includes a commitment of “no further conversion” of any forest land in Ghana and Ivory Coast for cocoa production.

It also expands the company’s forest efforts to five origin countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana) as well as the indirect cocoa supply chain, while securing the future livelihoods and resilience of smallholder cocoa farmers.

“We recognize there is considerable urgency to address climate and deforestation challenges. This means engaging in programs to stop deforestation in the countries from which we source cocoa,” said Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate president, Harold Poelma.

”We have made important first steps but there is more to be done and we believe that this action plan is how we will reach our goal,” he added.

In October 2017, Cargill introduced five sustainability goals for a thriving and sustainable cocoa sector, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Protect Our Planet, which will be implemented in five origin countries where Cargill sources cocoa and throughout the company’s indirect supply chain, outlines how the company will achieve those goals and eliminate deforestation from its supply chain by 2030.