Olam Food Ingredients Ghana Limited (ofi Ghana), a licensed buying company (LBC) in Ghana’s cocoa sector and exporter of cashew in the industry, held an event to mark the construction of a school at Akawani, a cocoa community in Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region.
Over 500 farmers, community leaders and stakeholders attended, including the Member of Parliament for Kade and Regional Managers from COCOBODs’ Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) and the Quality Control Company (QCC). The initiative forms part of ofi’s Cocoa Compass sustainability ambition to strengthen cocoa-growing communities and work with its customers and partners to enhance access to quality education to help reduce child labour.
ofi Ghana also commissioned the construction of a borehole in the community to improve access to quality water and distributed 1,000 exercise books to students to support their studies.
Mr. Gerard Manley, the Chief Sustainability Officer of ofi, who will shortly retire from his position, broke ground for the construction of the school. He commented: “We are a fully integrated business with traceability and sustainability at the core of our business in Ghana and across the world. Since we launched our first sustainability initiative in Ghana in 2004, we have taken an important role in helping to build a cocoa sector that provides long-term, positive support for cocoa farmers, their communities and the environment in which they operate.
“I’m very proud to be here today at the start of the construction of this school, which is an example of how we are taking action to protect children. It’s critical that together with our customers and partners, we help them have the best future possible.”
The Country Head of ofi Ghana Limited, Mr. Eric Asare-Botwe, emphasised the business’ commitment to helping create thriving communities. He said: “To promote education, ofi Ghana has established 10 educational funds across its cocoa sourcing communities. We also help farmers to improve their yields and incomes with training on good agricultural practices as well as access to farmer village savings and loans associations and additional livelihood programmes”.
Mr. Kennedy Ntoso, the Sustainability Head of ofi Ghana, thanked Mr. Manley for the many initiatives he has spearheaded to drive cocoa sustainability globally. He cited the adoption of digital tools and initiatives like the Olam Farmer Information System (OFIS), the Olam Livelihood Charter, the At Source Management System, and Cocoa Compass as having greatly contributed to meeting customer needs and supporting cocoa farmers to be more sustainable.
