We are a proud partner in Nestlé’s new Income Accelerator program, which was announced today. This innovative intervention aims to tackle child labour, decrease poverty, promote diversification and push for more gender equality.

Under the scheme, the company will transfer cash to around 160,000 farmer families in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, two of the most important cocoa-producing countries worldwide.

The money will be sent to farmers’ phones, with half going to the husband and half to the wife, allowing women to spend or invest the money as they see fit.

Farmers can expect to receive almost €500 (CHF 500) a year if they meet the necessary conditions. For each of four conditions met, they will receive around €96:

1. If they send their children to school (not to work on the farm)
2. If they prune their cocoa trees properly (which improves the harvest)
3. If they plant shade/fruit trees on their land (creating more humidity and increasing biodiversity)
4. If they seek additional income, such as raising chickens or beekeeping (making them less dependent on cocoa).

Those who meet all four conditions receive a €96 bonus. That adds up to a total of €481 a year, more than a fifth of the income of an average cocoa farmer in Côte d’Ivoire, who, according to KIT’s research, earns around €2,100 a year.

The money transfers were pilot tested on 1,000 families in Côte d’Ivoire in 2020, and our advisors are currently analysing the results. This year around 10,000 farmers will receive their first remittance, and by 2030, the program should be fully running. KIT will continue to monitor and evaluate the impact of the money transfers over the coming years.

Download the Income Accelerator Program infographic