EU and Tradin Organic to boost regenerative organic cocoa production in Sierra Leone

With EU support, global organic ingredient supplier Tradin Organic has launched a $2.5 million project supported to scale its sustainable cocoa project in Sierra Leone. The three-year project will target deforestation prevention and improving farmer livelihoods by building regenerative agroforestry systems.

Tradin Organic assists over 30,000 smallholder farmers in Sierra Leone to produce fair, sustainably produced cocoa for food brands. It has worked with Ecotop on an agroforestry project and with Child Fund on a Child Protection Program.

The EU grant of $1.85 million will aid Tradin and its partners in organizing sourcing, training, seedling distribution, and community projects through an intricate network of 153 Farmer Field Schools and 57 farmer-led micro-banks (VSLAs). It will explore a new income stream for farmers from carbon sequestration credits.

To meet U.S. market requirements, sourcing of the cocoa has been Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC).

Organic & Non-GMO Insights August 2023