Cocoa
Our extensive presence in the key production origins enables us to help empower farmers by investing in and supporting training programmes and initiatives that assist growers to improve their profitability and working conditions. These include:

•  Working in cooperation with other companies and associations in the cocoa industry to provide support to the industry wide programmes being run by the World Cocoa Foundation and the International Cocoa Initiative.
•  Providing training and field support to growers to improve the quality and yields of their cocoa crop, thereby enhancing the returns they receive for their crop.
•  Investment in “up country” receiving stations within the production regions to minimise transport costs and to improve quality.
•  Providing market information and research to co-operatives to assist them to maximise returns to their farmer members.

We are the sole supplier in a Private Public Partnership  launched in Côte d’Ivoire in November 2005 to promote certified sustainable cocoa produced to Rainforest Alliance standards. The project has pilots running in the Daloa and Abengourou regions and aims to deliver economic, ecological and social benefits.  Growers are encouraged to practise sustainable production methods using the Rainforest Alliance’s internationally accepted standards in order to obtain premium pricing from product differentiation. For more information Click here to download Presentation.  To visit the project's website, please click here
 
We consider that traceability is key to the long term success of any sustainability initiative and therefore we have invested in software systems and training to provide traceability for the projects we are involved with. In 2007 we successfully implemented a project to source traceable cocoa in Ghana. 

Through our membership of the European Cocoa Association we support the work of the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) which was set up in 2002 under Swiss law in Geneva.  ICI is a product of active co-operation between the global chocolate industry, politicians, members of the labour movement and individuals engaged in the fight against child and forced labour. ICI’s mission is to oversee and sustain efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and forced labour in the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products. Click here to read more about ICI.


Armajaro is an active member of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) which was established in 2000 and plays a leading role in strengthening the partnership between the cocoa industry and cocoa farmers.  With over sixty member companies, WCF supports a range of social, environmental and economic programmes in cocoa communities in West Africa, Asia and Central America. WCF programmes work to improve the sustainability of cocoa production by helping farmers to improve the quality and economic returns of their crops whilst providing training on responsible, safe labour practices. Click here to read more about WCF.

Coffee

Armajaro’s presence in key Robusta production origins enables us to participate in and support sustainability initiatives in the coffee sector.

In January 2006 Armajaro joined the UTZ Certified programme as a registered buyer. UTZ is a worldwide Certified programme that enables the coffee industry to demonstrate its commitment to responsible coffee production and sourcing. The UTZ programme (“good ” in a Mayan language) Certified Programme aims to set a world standard for responsible coffee production practices. UTZ Certified producers comply with the UTZ Code of Conduct, an internationally recognised set of criteria for socially and environmentally responsible coffee growing practices, efficient and professional farm management, traceability and food safety.  Click here to read more about UTZ.

Armajaro is a member of the Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C), an independent association of coffee producers, coffee traders, manufacturers and industry players committed to increasing sustainability and grower profitability in the mainstream coffee sector. The 4C initiative is a baseline concept designed to continuously improve the social, ecological and economic conditions in the coffee sector. The goals are long-term improvement of producers’ living conditions, improved market access and protection of the environment.  The 4C initiative provides a practical, transparent and credible system, informs about sustainability in the mainstream coffee trade and helps companies to practice social and environmental responsibility. Click here to read more about 4C.

Wine

Amajaro Estates is to sponsor an environmental  initiative on the Paardeberg Mountain in South Africa.