Organizational Updates

The Africa Cocoa Fund: Call for Applications and Q&A

Filed Under: In the Field  |  Tagged:

The Rainforest Alliance’s Africa Cocoa Fund (ACF) is a three-year, $5 million fund to support cocoa farmers and help preserve the local landscapes in West and Central Africa. It aims to create measurable, long-lasting positive impact by building the capacity of those certified cocoa farmers who most need assistance to implement our certification standards for sustainable agriculture. The ACF will also support select sustainability projects for cocoa farmers and their landscapes beyond our certification requirements, to achieve further positive impact. The fund is part of our broader measures to strengthen the cocoa sector.

Africa Cocoa Fund Publication of Projects Window B

African Cocoa Fund approved projects – window B

General questions about the Africa Cocoa Fund

Which countries are covered by the ACF?

The geographical scope of the ACF consists of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria. Considering the scale of our certification programs in each country, we intend to spend at least 50% of the funds in Côte d’Ivoire.

Will the projects to benefit farmers be implemented by the farmers themselves?

The projects under the ACF will be implemented by recognized local (or locally based international) implementing partners, such as organizations specialized in providing technical assistance and capacity building to smallholder farmers. These partners then provide the agreed services to the certified farmer groups. Where needed, the ACF will match the needs of beneficiary farmer groups with such an implementing partner. Individual service providers can also be contracted when this is the most effective and efficient option. Farmer groups themselves can, under specific conditions, apply for in-kind grants such as the provision of technology or equipment. For more information about these specific conditions, please contact us directly. Each request will be reviewed case by case during the application process.

Is the total of the $5 million benefitting farmers?

As per standard business practices, the Rainforest Alliance will recover costs incurred to manage the fund. However, the fund will not be charged for the time of dozens of Rainforest Alliance experts, regionally and globally, who will provide advice and guidance.

How is COVID-19 impacting the ACF?

COVID-19 will have an effect on the ACF implementation as long as there are travel and other restrictions that hamper free movement that would hinder activities in the field.

Can funds be requested for COVID-19 related purposes?

This can be considered as part of activities related to the basic principles of the fund.

How long will the ACF run?

The ACF will run for a maximum of three years: from June 2020 to May 2023.

How much of the ACF is expected to be spent in 2021?

In 2021, we anticipate spending $ 1, 350, 000 of the total fund.

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