Agroecology Policy

In 2017, we financed a training center in Daloa. We wanted to increase participation rates to 55% by giving producers and community leaders access to training as close as possible to where they live. Below is a summary of how good farming practices making an impact in 2022.

The Millot Plantation in Madagascar

In 2022, 40 forest inventories were carried out on sample plots, each with a radius of 30m:

• 5 main species have been identified: Albizia lebbeck, Terminalia mantaly, Spathodea campanulata, Artocarpus heterophyllus and Cananga odorata 
• An average of 91 trees per hectare were counted,
• The basal area is calculated at 21m2 per hectare. This figure is much higher than the 8m2 threshold for agroforestry set out by the Agroforestry Standard being developed by Nitidæ.

Thanks to these data, we can classify the Millot plantation as an agroforestry system.

The M. Libânio plantation in Brazil

In 2023, 69 forest inventories were carried out on sample plot, each with a 30m radius:

• 165 plant species were identified throughout the plantation, including eight species classified as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
• 34.5 hectares have been classified as regenerated land since 1993,
• 4,200 trees have been planted since 2000,
• An average of 82 trees were recorded per hectare.

The Xibun River Estate in Belize

In 2023, 33 forest inventories were carried out on sample plots, each with a 20m radius:

• 21 plant species were identified, including 17 shade trees, 
• 1,179 trees have been planted since 2016,
• An average of 36 trees per hectare were recorded. 

Regenerating creole gardens in Haiti

Since 2017, in partnership with Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF), Valrhona and the Valrhona Foundation have committed €395,801 to regenerating "creole" (or mixed) gardens.

The aim of this project is to improve farmers' living conditions over the long term by regenerating their cocoa plots. Plots are regenerated by pruning cacao trees, grafting trees, replanting, introducing food crops and fruit trees, and composting. These techniques help each plot produce higher yields, as well as diversifying producers' income.

The project also aims to bring together these different approaches and develop a model for agroecological cocoa farming on a national scale, so that as many Haitian families as possible can implement action on their own plots.

Impacts :

• 134 hectares of renovated creole gardens
• More than 216 producers have benefitted directly from the project
• Cocoa yields have increased by up to 80% in some areas 
• Income from plots has increased by as much as 65% 
• Plots are better at resisting adverse weather conditions 

A demonstration plantation in Indonesia

In Indonesia, in 2023 we set up a demonstration plantation based on dynamic agroforestry. This cultivation system reflects ecosystems’ natural processes and structures on the archipelago and focuses on optimizing all crop production rather than maximizing cocoa yields alone. This proposed model mimics the cacao tree's original habitat and offers numerous benefits such as soil improvement and regeneration, a reduced risk of diseases and pest infestations, erosion management and the total eradication of the need for agrochemicals (Halba, 2022). 

The project is also helping to develop forest and fruit species endemic to the archipelago and Southeast Asia, with the aim of increasing biodiversity and diversifying producers' incomes. In partnership with the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI), Valrhona is also committed to using this plantation to protect rare Indonesian cocoa varieties. 

KPI: From 2025, the aim is to offer training in dynamic agroforestry and regenerative agriculture to producer partners and their cocoa-growing network in Indonesia on the site.