• Child Labour (on Cocoa farms) revisited
  In the face of misinterpretations of the 2001/2002 findings published on-line by IITA on the use of child labor in the cocoa sector of West Africa it is necessary to re-examine in detail the empirical findings of that study... Please read further.
  
  
• Preventing and reducing injuries and ill health in Cocoa Production
  [Download Manual]
  
  
• STCP Newsletter Aug-Oct 2009
  In this edition
  » Its all about productivity of
  cocoa systems and certification
  at the just ended STCP’s 7th
  Regional Executive Committee
  meeting in Accra.
  
  
• Biodiversity Conservation Manual
  This manual on biodiversity and wildlife conservation in cocoa landscapes near protected areas aims at improving farmers’ knowledge on biodiversity and wildlife conservation in order to strengthen their decision making capacity. It helps farmers to understand the importance of biodiversity and wildlife conservation; understand their role as ecosystem managers; develop strategies for mitigating human-wildlife conflict; understand the national laws on biodiversity conservation and; develop an appreciation of the economic and conservation value of cocoa agroforests.

• The Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP) is holding its mid year Executive Committee Meeting in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire from April 20-22. At the opening of the meeting on April 20, STCP issued a press release "calling upon national governments, regional authorities and the private sector to formalize the present public-private partnership platform around tree crops. At the same time, they are encouraging the promotion of such value chain partnerships in other agricultural commodities, including food crops, towards the transformation of rural economies in sub-Saharan Africa". Included in the press kit to journalists during a press briefing held in Abidjan on April 20 are: Synopsis of STCP Core Program (French and English) detailing the objectives of the program, STCP Regional Overview (French and English) highlighting its achievements in the 5 countries of operations and Country Overview of Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire (French & English), Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia.
  
  
• NEW: The Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program (Borlaug Fellowship Program) Global Cocoa Initiative for Liberia

• Tools Box
  A. Password: stcp12345
  B. Click on English version or Version française
  C. Click on Tools Box
  
  
• NEW: Training videos, farmer guidebook on cocoa production
  
  
• NEW: STCP Newsletter: Issue 25, Feb. - Apr. 2009
  
  
  
  
  

US delegation to Ghana visits a cocoa farm

Dr. Keiichi Takaki (Foundation for Advanced Studies on Int’nal Dev.) interacts with cocoa farmers in Ghana

The Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP) started in 2000. It is a public-private partnership and innovation platform that seeks to generate growth in rural income among tree crop farmers in an environmentally and socially responsible manner in West/Central Africa.  This is achieved by introducing innovations to enhance productivity, increase marketing efficiency, diversify farmer income, and strengthen the institutional and policy environment. STCP, which is managed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), provides a framework for collaboration between farmers, the global cocoa industry, local private sector, national governments, NGOs, research institutes, and development investors.

STCP/IITA Impact & Policy Analyst addresses cocoa sector stakeholders in a policy dialogue

"improve the economic and social well being of tree crop farmers and their communities, and the environmental sustainability of their systems in West and Central Africa.”