Creating opportunities through education in Ghana's cocoa community
Young Ghanaian students with ambitions to join the agricultural industry will now benefit from the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Agricultural Logistics Skill Development Programme at the KNUST School of Business. The programme was launched earlier this week at KNUST in Kumasi, Ghana.
The aim of the educational programme is to equip selected youths with post-secondary education with knowledge and understanding of logistics, supply chain, warehousing and socio-economic issues. Graduates of the programme will be qualified for employment in the agriculture industry as logistics and warehousing technicians. Approximately 30 students have enrolled for the first phase of the programme.
The funding for the training has been provided by WCF member companies Safmarine and ADM Cocoa. WCF is managing and overseeing the programme through the ECHOES Alliance, WCF’s initiative to enhance agricultural education in cocoa farming communities, while KNUST School of Business is responsible for developing the educational curriculum for the programme.
Safmarine’s Global Sustainability Manager, Larisa Thuije says: “As a member of the WCF, and given Safmarine’s long involvement with our customers in the cocoa trade, we are keen on promoting sustainable development through education. This programme is a great opportunity for that”.
According to ADM Cocoa’s Alain Fredericq, director, Global Business Development and Sustainability, this programme will benefit industry in Ghana, particularly within the cocoa supply chain.
“As Ghana becomes an increasingly important producer of cocoa, the need for effective logistics at every step of the supply chain is crucial to the Ghanaian cocoa industry,” says Fredericq. “The educational programme’s varied curriculum allows for a profound understanding of challenges along the supply chain and encourages students to work toward sustainable solutions.”
The World Cocoa Foundation’s President Bill Guyton added that this was “another example of the public-private partnerships that form the basis of WCF’s programmes to benefit cocoa farmers, their families and their communities”.
The programme curriculum will cover training of various subject areas, ranging from the introduction to logistics and supply chain, purchasing, warehousing and inventory management, transport and distribution, to covering economic and social issues affecting the industry, amongst others.
Caption for the photo: Safmariners, Group colleagues and students at the launch of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Agricultural Logistics Skill Development Programme at the KNUST School of Business
Additional information and photos are available on the Safmarine Media Centre via www.safmarine.comor contact Veronica Bradford veronica@communicators,co.za
About the World Cocoa Foundation
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is an international membership foundation that promotes a sustainable cocoa economy by providing cocoa farmers with the tools they need to grow more and better cocoa, market it successfully, and make greater profits. These efforts help increase the supply of cocoa and help guarantee chocolate lovers access to their favorite products. WCF’s membership includes cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80% of the global cocoa market. For more information, visit www.worldcocoa.org.
About ADM
Every day, the 29,000 people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) turn crops into renewable products that meet the demands of a growing world. At more than 240 processing plants, we convert corn, oilseeds, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses. We operate the world’s premier crop origination and transportation network, connecting crops and markets in more than 60 countries. Our global headquarters is in Decatur, Illinois, and our net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, were $62 billion. For more information about our company and our products, visit www.adm.com.
About Safmarine
Safmarine is an independently-managed multi-trade shipping company within the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group, with a broad network focused primarily on container transport to and from the core regions of Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. Safmarine's business in 2011 is significantly larger than it was in 1999. In the 12 years since joining the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, Safmarine has increased its volumes significantly from approximately 180 000FFE to 800 000 FFE. Safmarine currently does business in more than 110 countries around the world. Our Safmariners share a common goal: to be known as the 'people making the difference in shipping. . For more information, visit www.safmarine.com
The aim of the educational programme is to equip selected youths with post-secondary education with knowledge and understanding of logistics, supply chain, warehousing and socio-economic issues. Graduates of the programme will be qualified for employment in the agriculture industry as logistics and warehousing technicians. Approximately 30 students have enrolled for the first phase of the programme.
The funding for the training has been provided by WCF member companies Safmarine and ADM Cocoa. WCF is managing and overseeing the programme through the ECHOES Alliance, WCF’s initiative to enhance agricultural education in cocoa farming communities, while KNUST School of Business is responsible for developing the educational curriculum for the programme.
Safmarine’s Global Sustainability Manager, Larisa Thuije says: “As a member of the WCF, and given Safmarine’s long involvement with our customers in the cocoa trade, we are keen on promoting sustainable development through education. This programme is a great opportunity for that”.
According to ADM Cocoa’s Alain Fredericq, director, Global Business Development and Sustainability, this programme will benefit industry in Ghana, particularly within the cocoa supply chain.
“As Ghana becomes an increasingly important producer of cocoa, the need for effective logistics at every step of the supply chain is crucial to the Ghanaian cocoa industry,” says Fredericq. “The educational programme’s varied curriculum allows for a profound understanding of challenges along the supply chain and encourages students to work toward sustainable solutions.”
The World Cocoa Foundation’s President Bill Guyton added that this was “another example of the public-private partnerships that form the basis of WCF’s programmes to benefit cocoa farmers, their families and their communities”.
The programme curriculum will cover training of various subject areas, ranging from the introduction to logistics and supply chain, purchasing, warehousing and inventory management, transport and distribution, to covering economic and social issues affecting the industry, amongst others.
Caption for the photo: Safmariners, Group colleagues and students at the launch of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Agricultural Logistics Skill Development Programme at the KNUST School of Business
Additional information and photos are available on the Safmarine Media Centre via www.safmarine.comor contact Veronica Bradford veronica@communicators,co.za
About the World Cocoa Foundation
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is an international membership foundation that promotes a sustainable cocoa economy by providing cocoa farmers with the tools they need to grow more and better cocoa, market it successfully, and make greater profits. These efforts help increase the supply of cocoa and help guarantee chocolate lovers access to their favorite products. WCF’s membership includes cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80% of the global cocoa market. For more information, visit www.worldcocoa.org.
About ADM
Every day, the 29,000 people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) turn crops into renewable products that meet the demands of a growing world. At more than 240 processing plants, we convert corn, oilseeds, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses. We operate the world’s premier crop origination and transportation network, connecting crops and markets in more than 60 countries. Our global headquarters is in Decatur, Illinois, and our net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, were $62 billion. For more information about our company and our products, visit www.adm.com.
About Safmarine
Safmarine is an independently-managed multi-trade shipping company within the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group, with a broad network focused primarily on container transport to and from the core regions of Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. Safmarine's business in 2011 is significantly larger than it was in 1999. In the 12 years since joining the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, Safmarine has increased its volumes significantly from approximately 180 000FFE to 800 000 FFE. Safmarine currently does business in more than 110 countries around the world. Our Safmariners share a common goal: to be known as the 'people making the difference in shipping. . For more information, visit www.safmarine.com