Entry: Bill Guyton, World Cocoa Foundation
The European Cocoa Association (ECA) www.eurococoa.com is an organization representing two-thirds of Europe’s cocoa beans grinding, half of Europe's industrial chocolate production and 40% of the world production of cocoa liquor, butter and powder. Based in Brussels, ECA represents the European cocoa community on public and government affairs.
Last week, ECA held their “CONCOCTION III” Symposium in Berlin, and invited me, as a guest speaker on a “Cocoa and Chocolate Industry Global Initiatives” panel. Other speakers in my session included Peter McAllister, Executive Director, ICI; and Jeff Morgan, who presented a stakeholder update on child labor certification in West Africa. My presentation specifically focused on the “farmer field school approach” which has been endorsed and implemented by the World Cocoa Foundation and our partners in all three cocoa growing regions of the world.
It was a pleasure for me to participate in the Symposium, along with leaders in the cocoa and chocolate industry, cocoa producing countries and NGO community. I extend my complements to Robert Zehnder, Director General of ECA, and his staff on a successful meeting.