Sunbeth Global Concepts is committed to upholding sustainability, social responsibility, and environmental conservation in its journey toward building a profitable cocoa distribution value chain. To that end, we implement measures for preserving the flora and fauna and creating safe working conditions for our farmers.
In furtherance of our sustainability efforts, we created the spraying service providers (SSPs) group in our Cocoa Certification Program at the farmers’ level. The SSPs primarily advise farmers on the appropriate use of recommended agrochemicals and also assist them with the application on their cocoa plantations.
We created this group to have more control over and manage the volume of chemicals released into the environment and ensure our farmers produce cocoa under the best possible environmental conditions.
The Cocoa Certification Program is an initiative designed to regulate cocoa production and ensure it is done under globally accepted standards to drive more sustainable cocoa farming. Currently, Sunbeth Global Concept is Rainforest Alliance (RA) certified on cocoa beans.
In addition to having the SSPs group, the sustainability team organizes training for registered farmers in different communities. They conduct practical sessions to tutor members of the SSP group on the appropriate use and handling of agrochemicals.
Farmers Learning The Appropriate Use of Agrochemicals
The most recent training program involved SSPs from the Idanre, Ondo, and Ifedore zones in Ondo State.
The sustainability team facilitated the training in conjunction with a notable Agrochemical distribution company based in Lagos Nigeria. The session which had the theme; Responsible Usage of Agrochemicals and Waste Disposal focused on educating the participants about safety practices they must observe when applying agrochemicals in cocoa plantations.
The training exposed participants to up-to-date information and more efficient methods for handling Agrochemicals. They were also shown strategies for mitigating farming-related hazards and increasing their productivity.
The participants learned to identify approved and banned products so they can avoid endangering themselves or the environment with harmful chemicals.
In addition, the farmers in attendance were all given personal protective equipment such as raincoats, boots, gloves, knapsack sprayers, and goggles to encourage them to implement the safety practices they learned about when using agrochemicals on their cocoa plantations.
As we also value the health and well-being of our farmers, we had medical practitioners conduct routine health checks for the farmers who participated in the training. Their blood samples were taken and tested for exposure to dangerous organophosphate (cholinesterase) compounds that are prevalent in pesticides.
The training was a major success as all the trainees participated and contributed actively throughout; an indication that the initiative was well-received and appreciated.
As an organization actively invested in sustainability and environmental conservation, we understand that the misuse of agrochemicals is a primary cause for concern in cocoa production. In addition, new agrochemicals are constantly making their way into the market, regulations are changing and application techniques are evolving. It’s crucial for farmers to stay on pace with these new developments.
As a result, Sunbeth Global Concept (SGC) will spare no efforts in equipping our farmers with the right tools and skillset to produce high-quality cocoa beans under sustainable and healthy conditions.
