07/10/2025
World Cocoa Day 2025:
WWF Highlights Sustainable Cocoa Key Achievements In TRIDOM Landscape
By Nformi Sonde Kinsai
The World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF has presented major achievements recorded through the promotion of sustainable cocoa production in the TRIDOM landscape – one of the WWF areas of intervention in Cameroon.
This was one of the key points of activities organised in Douala on September 30 and October 1, 2025 by the international conservation organisation to commemorate this year’s World Cocoa Day.
Presenting highlights of the achievements recorded in the TRIDOM landscape, the WWF Senior Cocoa Expert, Jean Paul Nlend Nkott, outlined a series of activities they engaged alongside cocoa farmers’ cooperatives. He talked of the setting up of a cocoa nursery to rehabilitate aging cocoa farms that saw the production and distribution of some 20 000 plants to farmers all geared at increasing yields.
He equally mentioned the putting in place of cocoa fermentation and drying centres, ongoing biochar experimentation to improve soil fertility as well as weeding, pruning, shade and pest management exercises with a wide range of farmers in Mintom and Yokadouma as beneficiaries. As much as 14 groups were supported by WWF in the fabrication of fermentation boxes and dryers in order to produce best quality cocoa. In addition, some 80 groups of producers were sensitised on the utilisation of good practices of phytosanitary products.
On strengthening governance in the cooperative (SOCOCAM COOPCA), Nkott said WWF supported them in the development and validation of statutory key documents such as the internal rules and regulations, the manual of procedure and the 2025-2029 strategic action plan. For a more sustainable and efficient management of the cooperative, capacities of the farmers were strengthened on the roles and responsibilities of the governing organs; and on accounting management tools.
It was also indicated that WWF is accompanying the cocoa trading committee of SOCOCAM through training on techniques of negotiations and support to group sales of cocoa.
On the basis of support given so far and based on the expected outcome, Nkott revealed that the farmers witnessed over 30% increase in their cocoa sales revenue; the sale at good prices of more than 10 000 tons of premium cocoa; and over 300 households felt the positive direct impact. One of the key things observed at the TRIDOM landscape sustainable cocoa production site is the fact that there is no increased deforestation and there are no evidences of child labour.
Advising that farmers must use the revenue from the cocoa sales judiciously, the WWF Senior Cocoa Expert said to ensure sustainability from 2027, they intend to collaborate with other actors; foster policy and stakeholders’ engagement; look for a way of establishing strong and diversified partnerships with the goal of cocoa quality increase in the TRIDOM landscape WWF areas of intervention. Strong partnerships are yet to be established between the cooperative and cocoa sourcing companies to have fair prices as well as the mobilisation of resources to increase portfolio of cocoa and None Timber Forest Products, NTFP Cooperative.
Speaking on the occasion, the National Director of WWF Cameroon, Alain Bernard Ononino presented the institution as a forestry and biodiversity conservation organisation. He talked about the importance of agriculture to the economy and livelihoods of farmers stating that in the TRIDOM landscape, cocoa production constitutes the main source of revenue to local cooperative community and indigenous people.
He disclosed that through their sustainable practices programme; WWF has successfully restored over 4000 hectares of degraded land and has simultaneously reduced chemical inputs use by 15% thereby helping to preserve soil health and biodiversity.
“Despite this progress, deforestation, illegal forest conversion for cocoa production and the impact of climate change notably shifting rainfall patterns and dry spells affecting yields, remain the major challenges. To address these, WWF is training farmers in climate-smart agriculture, pest management and inclusive practices.
“The celebration of World Cocoa Day highlights collective efforts towards sustainable cocoa production, strengthens a shared vision, and positions Cameroon as a unique niche and a global model for sustainable cocoa productions,” Ononino stated.
Liliane Mgbadjiga, a Board Chair of a cooperative in Yokadouma as well as Alain Casimir Eloundou Koa, a cocoa farmer in Batchenga both told reporters that they are taking the message of sustainable cocoa that requires proper handling of current farms for increased yields and which doesn’t warrant further deforestation, back to their peers.
The event was thus a strategic opportunity to valorise the sector and promote sustainable cocoa, strengthen synergies between public, private and community actors. Apart of presentations on a number of related themes by experts followed by technical exchanges, exhibition of cocoa-based products and a press conference also marked the occasion.
