Global cocoa sustainability experts and practitioners will be meeting in Santo Domingo on 15-16 October 2013 for the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) 24th Partnership Meeting and Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair. More than 300 guests representing the chocolate and cocoa industry, governments, NGOs, academia, and research institutes from Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Africa, Asia and Europe will use the occasion to learn about the latest developments as part of an initiative to ensure greater sustainability in the sector.
“The Partnership Meeting is a unique opportunity for the global cocoa community to discuss cocoa livelihoods worldwide,” said Bill Guyton, WCF president. “We’re honored to be hosting the meeting in the Dominican Republic, and look forward to learning from the Latin America cocoa sector and exploring new opportunities in the region and how it relates to other cocoa-producing regions in West Africa and Southeast Asia.”
The agenda for the meeting covers topics including Latin America’s role in the global cocoa sector, gender and cocoa, community development in cocoa-growing areas, agro-forestry, cocoa genetics, technological advances and more. Speakers for the event feature top sustainability experts from cocoa companies, cocoa producing country governments, non-profit organizations, academia, and more.
The event will take place at the Hotel Occidental El Embajador in Santo Domingo. Running concurrently with the meeting is WCF’s inaugural Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair, which will feature information and displays about sustainability work in the cocoa sector. The event will be followed by site visits to nearby cocoa farms to view on-the-ground sustainability initiatives.
www.marketwatch.com/story/international-cocoa-community-convenes-in-santo-domingo-with-a-focus-on-sustainability-2013-09-10