Hershey Announces GPS Project to Map Cocoa Farms in Ghana
Using Technology to Increase Farmer Incomes and Improve Communities
HERSHEY, Pa., Apr 26, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) --The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) today announced an innovative program to
use GPS mapping to provide precise measurements of farm acreage as part
of the "HERSHEY LEARN TO GROW" Farm Program in Ghana. GPS mapping
will help farmers better plan and manage their cocoa farms, increasing
yields and farmer incomes.
The HERSHEY LEARN TO GROW initiative was announced on January 30
as part of Hershey's $10 million commitment in West Africa during the
next five years to accelerate the company's cocoa programs in the
region. The investment will help improve cocoa farming and community
health and reduce instances of child labor.
Planting Roots in Central Ghana
Hershey also announced today that it has selected The Assin Foso
District in the heart of Ghana's central cocoa region as the site
for this innovative HERSHEY LEARN TO GROW farm and community
learning center. From this location, the program will help more than
1,000 farm families and 5,000 cocoa community members improve their
livelihoods by learning the latest in modern farming techniques and
agricultural stewardship, including appropriate and inappropriate uses
of labor.
In addition, Hershey and partner Source
Trust will establish 25 community-based farmer organizations to
improve the living standards of 1,250 cocoa farm families. Through good
agricultural, environmental, social and business practices training;
access to improved planting material; and financing for farm inputs, the
goal is to double productivity yield and farm income over four years.
These local organizations will be the home of the new farmer and family
development that Hershey and partner Source Trust are creating in rural
Ghana.
Using GPS to Map Ghana's Cocoa Farms
To help Ghanaian cocoa farmers better understand and utilize modern farm
stewardship techniques, HERSHEY LEARN TO GROW is helping farmers:
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Determine the precise size of their farms using GPS technology and a
process of mapping and data collection called "GeoT," and
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Understand the actual size of their farms which makes it easier for
farmers to make the best use of the latest practices in planting,
pruning and fertilizer techniques for maximum yield and sustainability.
The innovative GeoT GPS process will, for the first time in more than
130 years of cocoa farming in Ghana, help 1,000 participating farmers
accurately size their cocoa farms.
Last year, Hershey introduced mobile phone technology for cocoa farmers
in an innovative program called CocoaLink. GPS mapping and CocoaLink
demonstrate that low cost and widely available technology are providing
farmers with new tools to modernize their cocoa farms and boost their
productivity and livelihoods.
Setting the Baseline for Growth and Success
In addition to the GPS farm mapping initiative, Hershey and Source Trust
are surveying participating farmers to better understand current farm
characteristics, farming practices, and pest and disease issues. This
information will be critical in establishing a baseline from which to
begin to help the farmers implement the best new practices and processes
for making their farms more productive, diverse and successful.
The survey process also will look at key indicators for household risk
of inappropriate forms of child labor. This will provide an important
tool to help identify and monitor households at risk and to deploy
information and programs to mitigate the risk of child labor. In
addition, the HERSHEY LEARN TO GROW center will work with the
Government of Ghana to help achieve their goals for the 2009-2015
National Plan of Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child
Labor (WFCL).
Improving Farmer and Community Livelihoods to Change Lives
Improved farming practices directly enhance family, community and
education in cocoa villages. More than 50 percent of farm family income
in this region comes from cocoa, so higher cocoa yields translate into
extra income for families, which enables them to invest in their
well-being, including sending their children to school. The HERSHEY
LEARN TO GROW farm center will supply farmers with high-yielding
seedlings, better planting and pruning practices, methods for organic
fertilization and biocontrol of insect pests to improve yields and
incomes.
Increasing opportunities for Children through Technology
The HERSHEY LEARN TO GROW program also will bring high-tech
learning to rural farm villages through technology centers that provide
computer access to local schools, farmers and the community. The
training programs will be based on an interactive curriculum to teach
cocoa farmers about optimal agricultural, environmental and social
practices.
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest producer of quality
chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar
confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, Pa., The Hershey Company has
operations throughout the world and approximately 12,000 employees. With
revenues more than $6 billion, Hershey offers confectionery products
under more than 25 brand names, including such iconic brands as Hershey's,
Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Hershey's Bliss,
Hershey's Special Dark, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, Jolly
Rancher and Ice Breakers. Hershey also offers premium and
artisan chocolate products under such brands as Scharffen Berger
and Dagoba through the Artisan Confections Company, a wholly
owned subsidiary. The company is focused on growing its presence in key
international markets such as China and Mexico while continuing to build
its competitive advantage in the United States and Canada.
For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company has been a leader in making
a positive difference in the communities where its employees live, work
and do business. Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of
the company's global business strategy, which includes goals and
priorities focused on fair and ethical business dealings, environmental
stewardship, fostering a desirable workplace for employees, and
positively impacting society and local communities. Milton Hershey
School, established in 1909 by the company's founder and administered by
Hershey Trust Company, provides a quality education, housing, and
medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need.
Students of Milton Hershey School are direct beneficiaries of The
Hershey Company's success.
About Source Trust
Source Trust is a not-for-profit organization set up to help farmers
improve their livelihoods through better crop yields and quality,
through sustainable farming practices. Source Trust's projects pave the
way for long-term, sustainable cocoa production, while enhancing
farmers' business prospects.
Source Trust is funded by premiums paid by chocolate makers. These
premiums are invested in the farming communities which supplied the
chocolate maker's cocoa. Projects delivered by Source Trust include
farmer training on good agricultural practice, cocoa seed nurseries and
planting material, farm inputs on credit, Village Resource Centers,
Malaria Prevention and Community Infrastructure.
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SOURCE: The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff
Beckman, 717-534-8090