Articles

World Cocoa Conference Abidjan 2012: Programme and Presentations

              (Highlighted presentations may be downloaded as PDF documents)

MONDAY 19 NOVEMBER
Registration, Hotel Ivoire, Foyer Salle des Fêtes Exhibition Opens, Palais des Congrès, Foyer A & B
Official Inauguration of Exhibition, Palais des Congrès, Foyer A & B
H.E. Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio, Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire

TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER
Plenary morning session (Auditorium)
Opening Ceremony and Welcome Speeches:           

 H.E. Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, Minister of Agriculture, Côte d’Ivoire / Chairman of the Organizing Committee, World Cocoa Conference

Working Towards a Sustainable World Cocoa Economy
Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director, ICCO

 H.E. Raymond Ndong Sima, Prime Minister of Gabon, on behalf of President Ali Bongo Ondimba 

 Keynote Address:
H.E. Dr. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire  

Plenary afternoon session (Auditorium)
Moderated by: Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director, ICCO

Barry Parkin, Global Procurement and Sustainability Head, Mars

Jean-Pierre Halkin, Head of Unit DEVCO.C1, European Commission, on behalf of Commissioner Andris Piebalgs

Tim Cofer, President, Mondelēz International

La Diversification des Exportations de l'Afrique a travers la valeur ajoutée
Jean-Louis Ekra, President, Afreximbank

 Achille Bassilekin III, Assistant Secretary General, African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

 Dr. Coffi Rémy Noumon, Manager, Operations Department, West and Central Africa Region, African Capacity Building Foundation   

Ensuring that the World Cocoa Economy Has the Capacity to Deliver Growth for all Stakeholders in the Value Chain: From the Farmer to the Final Consumer
Accelerating Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities

Steven Retzlaff, President Global Sourcing & Cocoa, Barry Callebaut

The Cargill Cocoa Promise: Working Together for the Cocoa of Tomorrow       
Jos de Loor, President, Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate

PANEL 1: Addressing Child Labour

Madame Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Chair of the National Monitoring Committee on Child Labour

Panel Discussion and Questions on Strategies for Addressing Child Labour

Madame Patricia Yao, Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
Madame Raymonde Goudou Koffi, Minister for Women, Family and Children, Côte d'Ivoire
Nick Weatherill, Executive Director, International Cocoa Initiative
Emmanuel Opoku, Ghana Cocoa Board Child Labour Group
Toussaint N'Guessan, Réseau Ivoirien pour l’Agriculture Durable (RIAD), Côte d’Ivoire

Closing remarks from the Moderator and end of the Session

WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER

Reform of the Cocoa Market in Côte d’Ivoire
Madame Massandjé Toure-Litsé, Director General, Conseil du Café - Cacao, Côte d'Ivoire

PANEL 2: Cocoa Certification

ICCO Study on Cocoa Certification
Edmond Konan, President, Global Business Consulting Company, Côte d’Ivoire         

Panel Discussion and Questions on Cocoa Certification
                 
Ashish Deo, Director of Commercial Relations, Fairtrade Foundation
Daan de Vries, Field Director, UTZ CERTIFIED
Christian Mensah, Manager West Africa, Rainforest Alliance
Edmond Konan, President, Global Business Consulting Company, C?te d’Ivoire
Alexis Koundi, Cocoa Farmer, President, CONAPROCAM, Cameroon

Simultaneous Breakout Sessions (Auditorium, Salle des Fêtes and Salle Chandelier):

Track 1: SUSTAINABLE COCOA PRODUCTION (Auditorium)
Moderated by: Dr. Martin Gilmour (Cocoa Sustainability Research Director, Mars Chocolate), Chairman of the Conference Working Group on Sustainable Production
Moderator's Introduction

PANEL 3: Improving Cocoa Production Practices to Ensure that Sustainable Supply meets Demand Growth—Part One

Improved Seed for West African Cocoa Farmers
Dr. Robert Lockwood, Consultant

The Challenges of Producing Cocoa in Trinidad and Tobago
Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, Cocoa producer, Trinidad and Tobago

Securing Our Future: Why Cocoa Diversity Matters         
Brigitte Laliberté, Scientist, Bioversity

 Innovative Nutrient Technology to Increase Cocoa Productivity
Dr. Ramon Georgis, Director, International Business, Brandt Consolidated

Delivering High Yields and Better Quality to Increase Cocoa Supply Chain Productivity
Martin Kodde, Head of Food Chain Engagement – Corporate Affairs Europe, Africa and Middle East, Syngenta International AG

Panel Discussion and Questions

PANEL 4: Improving Cocoa Production Practices to Ensure that Sustainable Supply meets Demand Growth—Part Two

IITA's Perspective
Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director General, Partnerships and Capacity Building, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture

Andrew Brooks, VP Sustainability, Olam Outspan Ivoire

Lucian Peppelenbos, Senior Manager, Learning and Innovation, IDH

Comment CEMOI accompagne les planteurs pour garantir la disponibilité et la qualité du
cacao de demain?
Tristan Borne, Cocoa and Chocolate Managing Director, Groupe CEMOI

Dr. Lee Choon Hui--Cocoa Productivity and Quality, Director General, Malaysian Cocoa Board

Panel Discussion and Questions

 PANEL 5: Professionalizing Cocoa Farming to Enhance Social, Economic and Environmental Sustainability

Professionalism and Non-Professionalism among Cocoa Farmers: The Case for Fertilizers       
François Ruf, Agricultural Economist, CIRAD

Michiel Hendriksz, Director of Sustainability, ADM Cocoa

Making Cocoa Farming a Profitable Business        
Nanga Coulibaly, Secretary General, Alliance of Cocoa Producing Countries (COPAL)

Responsible Business and Sustainability - Professionalizing Cocoa Farming in Ghana
Yaa Peprah Amekudzi, Ghana Program Manager, Mondelez International

Smarter Agriculture in a Changing World: New Tools for Smallholder Farmers and Extensionists
Dr. Eric Boa, Global Director for Plant Health, CABI

David Kpelle, Programme Director, African Cocoa Coalition (ACC), Ghana  

Panel Discussion and Questions

Closing remarks from the Moderator and end of the Session


Track 2: SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY CHAIN (Salle des Fêtes)
Moderated by: Djibril Fadiga (Deputy Director General, Conseil du Café - Cacao, Côte d’Ivoire), Chairman of the Conference Working Group on the Sustainable Industry Chain
Moderator's Introduction

PANEL 6: Shipping, Logistics and Processing

Managing the Risks related to Shipping Cocoa Beans
Henry Allard, CEO, Filhet Allard

Transportation and Shipping Practices of Cocoa Beans and Products
Robin Dand--Transportation and Shipping, Independent Authority, robindand.com

Cocoa Warehousing: Improving the Quality of Warehousing Services
Stefan Poppe, Group Commercial Director, Molenbergnatie Group / Vice President European Warehousekeepers Federation

Cocoa Processing Technology – Future Trends and Latest Developments
Dr. Tobias Lohmüller, Head of Research and Development, Bühler Barth  

Innovation in the Use of Cocoa Products and By-products
Dr. Lee Choon Hui--Cocoa Products and By-products, Director General, Malaysian Cocoa Board

Panel Discussion and Questions

PANEL 7: Cocoa Traceability and its Effects on Chocolate Quality

Traceability in the Cocoa Value Chain: An Introduction  
Tony Lass, Fox Consultancy

Emmanuel Opuku, Deputy Director, Research & Development, Ghana Cocoa Board

Offering More Than Traceability
Pierre Courtemanche, Executive Director, GeoTraceability Ltd

The CEN Initiative on Sustainable and Traceable Cocoa
Jack Steijn, Chair of CEN Committee 415

Panel Discussion and Questions

PANEL 8: Financing the Cocoa Sector

 Hirren Singharray, Managing Director, Standard Chartered
 Diaka Sall, Senior Loan Officer, Root Capital
 Edward George--Financing the Cocoa Sector, Soft Commodities Specialist, Ecobank
 Dr. Benedict Oramah, Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Banking, Afreximbank

Panel Discussion and Questions

PANEL 9: Funding the Global Cocoa Sector

Viwanou Gnassounou, Assistant Secretary General, ACP Group of States
Dick de Graaf, Coordinator, Cocoa Steering Committee, European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Union (EFFAT)
Robin Dand--Funding the Global Cocoa Sector, Coordinator, World Cocoa Conference, ICCO
Dr. Torben Erbrath, Managing Director, Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI)

Panel Discussion and Questions

PANEL 10: Improving Efficiency and Managing Risk

Financing and Managing Risk in the Cocoa Supply Chain
El Hadj Adama Toure, Senior Agriculture Economist, Africa Region, World Bank

Improving Efficiency in the Cocoa Market
Guy Sneyers, Chief Operations Officer, Common Fund for Commodities

Panel Discussion and Questions

Closing remarks from the Moderator and end of the Session

Track 3: SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION (Salle Chandelier)
Moderator: Pierre Etoa Abena (Senior Advisor, ONCC Cameroon), Chairman of the Conference Working Group on Sustainable Consumption
Moderator’s Introduction

Examining the Dynamics of Demand for Cocoa around the World and Changes in the Chocolate Market

PANEL 11: Structure and Competition in the Cocoa and Chocolate Industry
Edward George--Structure and Competition, Soft Commodities Specialist, Ecobank
Jonas Mva Mva, Senior Program Manager Cocoa, IDH
Kojo Amoo-Gottfried, Country Manager, Cargill Ghana
Kouame Kouakou Georges, Secretary General, Cooperative Agricole Kavokiva, Côte d’Ivoire

Panel Discussion and Questions

PANEL 12: Demand and Diversity in Cocoa
                
Selling Chocolate: Opportunities and Challenges for Global Manufacturers     
Francisco Redruello, Senior Food Analyst, Euromonitor International

Preserving the Diversity of Ecuador Cocoa: the Nacional Project
Freddy Amores Puyutaxi, Leader, Coffee-Cocoa Programme, Instituto Nacional Autónomo de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIAP)

Panel Discussion and Questions

PANEL 13: The Increasing Importance of Food Safety and SPS Legislation and Regulations

Quality and Food Safety: EU Regulatory Requirements in a Sustainable Cocoa Supply Chain            
Isabelle Adam, General Secretary, European Cocoa Association (ECA)

Food Safety in Cocoa: Promoting Producer and Consumer Confidence
Julie Flood, Senior Global Director for Commodities, CABI

A Producer’s Experience in Meeting Food Safety Requirements
Lucien Kouame, Inspector, Ministry of Agriculture, Côte d’Ivoire  

Cocoa SPS: Linking Regulation with Research Needs and Farmer Practices in the 21st Century
Dr. Roy Bateman, International Pesticide Application Research Consortium (IPARC)

Panel Discussion and Questions

La Fédération du Commerce du Cacao
Gerry Manley, Chairman of the Federation of Cocoa Commerce Ltd (FCC) / Managing Director Cocoa, Olam International TBC

PANEL 14: Market Outlook for Cocoa Supply and Demand

Benefiting from Objective Observations
Judith Ganes-Chase, J. Ganes Consulting LLC

Situation and Prospects for Cocoa Supply and Demand
Laurent Pipitone--Market Outlook, Director of the Economics and Statistics Division, ICCO

Panel Discussion and Questions

Closing remarks from the Moderator and end of the Session

THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER

Plenary morning session (Auditorium)
Moderator: Pierre Etoa Abena, Senior Advisor, ONCC Cameroon

Moderator’s Introduction

Theory into Practice – Delivering a Sustainable Cocoa Value Chain: Companies

Supporting Farmers for Better Chocolate
Kevin Petrie, Head of Procurement, Nestlé  

James Boateng, Managing Director for Ghana, Mondeléz International (Kraft Foods)

Dr. Howard Shapiro, Global Staff Officer, Plant Science and External Research, Mars

Nicko Debenham, Director, Development & Sustainability, Armajaro Trading

Theory into Practice – Delivering a Sustainable Cocoa Value Chain: Countries

Robert Yapo, Conseil Café-Cacao, Côte d’Ivoire      

Tony Fofie, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Cocoa Board

Intensification in Cacao Production through Innovation in Technology to Increase the Total Value of the Cocoa Industry
Luis Valverde, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Ecuador

Shamsudin Hj. Noor, Undersecretary, Cocoa and Pepper Industries Development Division, Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Malaysia

Questions

Theory into Practice – Delivering a Sustainable Cocoa Value Chain: Institutions

Hope Sona Ebai, Chief of Party, World Cocoa Foundation/African Cocoa Initiative (WCF/ACI)

Patrick Poirrier, Vice President, CAOBISCO / CEO Groupe CEMOI

Elena Rueda, GIZ, representing the German Sustainable Cocoa Forum

Use Your Voice
Marieke Poissonnier, Head of Policy and Advocacy Department, Oxfam-Wereldwinkels

Questions

                    
FRIDAY 23 NOVEMBER

Plenary morning session (Auditorium)
Moderated by: Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director, ICCO

The Role of ICCO in Monitoring and Coordinating Global Cocoa Initiatives
Laurent Pipitone--Role of the ICCO, Director of the Economics and Statistics Division, ICCO

Introducing the ACP-ICCO Cocoa Sustainability Programme
Achille Bassilekin III, Assistant Secretary General, African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

Final Recommendations (Auditorium)(Plenary)

Final Recommendations: Reports from the Conference sessions (followed by Submissions, Comments and Observations)
Dr. Martin Gilmour (Cocoa Sustainability Research Director, Mars Chocolate), Chairman of the Conference Working Group on Sustainable Production
Djibril Fadiga (Deputy Director General, Conseil du Café - Cacao, Côte d’Ivoire), Chairman of the Conference Working Group on the Sustainable Industry Chain
Pierre Etoa Abena (Senior Advisor, ONCC Cameroon), Chairman of the Conference Working Group on Sustainable Consumption
Dr. Jean-Marc Anga (Executive Director, ICCO) Chairman of the Conference Working Group on Strategic Management

Closing Ceremony in the Presence of H.E. Daniel Kablan Duncan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (Auditorium) (Plenary)

Part 1: Recommendations from the Global Cocoa Agenda for a Sustainable World Cocoa Economy and the Abidjan Cocoa Declaration
Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director, ICCO
A 10-year strategic action plan with specific actions to be taken at regional, national and global levels

Part 2: Signing of the Abidjan Cocoa Declaration
By key government representatives of the major cocoa producing countries, representatives from major cocoa and chocolate companies, international aid and development agencies, banks and other financial institutions, representatives of farmers organizations and civil society, etc.

Closing Remarks        
Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director, ICCO
H.E. Daniel Kablan Duncan, Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire

World Cocoa Conference Closes
Press Conference