IFCC

Women and Cocoa Communities Initiative

Project Summary

With the Women and Cocoa Communities Initiative (IFCC), we adopt a multisectoral and integrated approach that leverages the consortium’s expertise: socio-economic development through the cooperative model and education. This program supports women and girls from cocoa-producing communities so they can become agents of change in their communities. It aims in particular to improve the socio-economic empowerment of girls by increasing their access to economic and productive resources, as well as to education.

Objectives

  • Improve the living conditions of cocoa-growing communities, especially women and girls
  • Strengthen socio-economic empowerment in rural cocoa-producing communities
  • Build the capacity of FNFPCC, cocoa co-operatives, and women’s savings groups (AVEC) to offer products and services tailored to member needs and climate realities
  • Improve the ability of local stakeholders to support the resilience of cocoa communities and their food systems in the face of climate change and socio-economic shocks

Results and impact

  • Four shade-tree nurseries established: 141,429 seedlings produced, 32,660 seedlings sold
  • 20% more women participate in household economic decision-making
  • Control over economic resources: women 72.77%; girls 51.15%
  • 99% of cooperative members use products and services that meet their needs and are adapted to climate change
  • 100% of women members of AVEC groups use products and services that meet their needs and are climate-resilien

Testimonial

“Thanks to the loans I obtained through the AVEC, I was able to buy more goods and I am now building a nice little shop to display them.”

  • Kohou Chia Françoise
    Trader and member of an AVEC (Association for the Promotion of Community Mutual Support) in Adzopé, Côte d’Ivoire

Partners

  • Consortium partner
    • Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie
  • Implementing partners
    • Trente coopératives cacaoyères
    • Fédération nationale des femmes productrices de café-cacao (FNFPCC)
    • Ministère d’État, Ministère de l’Agriculture, du Développement rural et des Productions vivrières (MEMINADERPV)
    • Conseil du Café-Cacao (CCC)
    • Agence nationale d’appui au développement rural (ANADER)
    • Ministère de l’Éducation nationale et de l’Alphabétisation (MENA)
    • Ministère de la Femme, de la Famille et de l’Enfant (MFFE)
    • World Cocao Foundation (WFC)

Media gallery

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