Three Years That Changed the Producing Region Through Chocolate Sales - Planting Shade Trees and Building a Cassava Processing Plant. Nissin Kako Launches Phase Two of Cocoa Farmer Support Program
Nissin Kako Co., Ltd. has completed the first phase of its support program for cocoa farmers in the Republic of Ghana and has launched a new second phase program aimed at supporting the spread of agroforestry.
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- 📰 Published: April 21, 2026 at 19:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 10:01 (38h 51m after Published)
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Nissin Kako Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President: Hiroaki Naoi), a manufacturer of confectionery ingredients centered on chocolate, has completed the first phase of its producing region support program targeting cocoa farmers in the Republic of Ghana, and is newly launching the second phase support program. This is being carried out as part of their participation in the "Do well by doing good." initiative. In the second phase, they will work on supporting the spread of "agroforestry," which combines agriculture and forest management.
■ What is 'Do well by doing good.'?
"Do well by doing good." is driven by imperfect, which operates a sustainability-conscious food business, with the desire to make the world and society slightly better from what they can do in response to the various social issues behind each product and service.
Nissin Kako has been manufacturing and selling chocolate ingredients for confectionery professionals, setting "Chocolate makes you smile." as its value proposition. While chocolate is widely loved, in response to the many challenges in the producing regions of its main ingredient, cocoa beans, they have been participating in this activity since April 2022. The company's "Sustainable Chocolate Series" products are returning a portion of their sales to the producing regions as funding for the support program as part of this activity.
■ Challenges faced by Ghana's cocoa producing regions and the First Phase Support
In Ghana, one of the world's leading cocoa producing countries, there are various issues that need to be resolved for sustainable cocoa production. Reports of forest loss due to agricultural land expansion and timber demand, and the impact of gold mining (galamsey) on agricultural land indicate a need for environmental conservation efforts. Furthermore, activities supporting the living foundation and human rights of producers, such as securing educational opportunities for children, preventing child labor, and supporting the independence and social advancement of women, are becoming increasingly important.
Based on this situation, in the first phase of support, Nissin Kako implemented the following two support measures through MC AgriAlliance Ltd. (*).
* MC AgriAlliance Ltd.: As a member of the Mitsubishi Corporation Group, handles the import and sale of agricultural raw materials including cocoa beans. Engages in raw material procurement with consideration for sustainability, such as providing agricultural guidance in producing regions and supporting children's school attendance.
(1) Support for the construction of a cassava processing plant
In a village in the Republic of Ghana where cocoa production is thriving, a processing plant was built to add value by processing cassava (a type of potato), which is a staple food. Amidst dirt roads running through the center of the village and houses with wooden-framed mud walls and tin roofs, this building with its eye-catching bright purple exterior wall has become a new hub for the community.
At the processing plant, local women play a central role in processing cassava into the traditional food "Gari." What was crucial in this support was not to provide immediate supplies like motorcycles or agricultural machinery, but to create a "mechanism by which the community can become self-reliant and endure." With the supplementary income from the products created at the processing plant, they will be able to procure the materials they need on their own. We believe that this "cycle of self-reliance" is the true purpose of the support.
During a local visit in 2025, the following voices were heard from the community:
- "With the income earned from cassava processing, we were able to dig a well in the village. We were also able to repair the school roof."
- "We also use the processing plant as a community gathering place. Ceremonies are now held here too."
- "Currently, five neighboring communities are jointly using this processing plant."
The sight of women, whose roles were once primarily supportive on cocoa farms, now taking the initiative to generate income themselves is vitalizing the entire community.
(2) Planting of shade trees
The lifespan of cocoa trees is limited to about 25-30 years if exposed to direct sunlight continuously, but by planting shade trees, continued harvesting for 50-80 years can be expected. They provided and planted 10,000 to 20,000 fast-growing evergreen trees, working towards the conservation of the cocoa forest and ecosystem.
During local inspections, we confirmed that farmers are carefully practicing pruning and environmental improvement under the guidance of local agricultural instructors. The 37-year-old farmer who manages the model farm inspected this time has nearly 20 years of experience in cocoa cultivation and manages farmland almost six times the Ghanaian average (about 1 hectare). Appropriate sunlight management and ventilation using shade trees have also proven effective in suppressing diseases such as black pod (fungus).
■ What is 'Do well by doing good.'?
"Do well by doing good." is driven by imperfect, which operates a sustainability-conscious food business, with the desire to make the world and society slightly better from what they can do in response to the various social issues behind each product and service.
Nissin Kako has been manufacturing and selling chocolate ingredients for confectionery professionals, setting "Chocolate makes you smile." as its value proposition. While chocolate is widely loved, in response to the many challenges in the producing regions of its main ingredient, cocoa beans, they have been participating in this activity since April 2022. The company's "Sustainable Chocolate Series" products are returning a portion of their sales to the producing regions as funding for the support program as part of this activity.
■ Challenges faced by Ghana's cocoa producing regions and the First Phase Support
In Ghana, one of the world's leading cocoa producing countries, there are various issues that need to be resolved for sustainable cocoa production. Reports of forest loss due to agricultural land expansion and timber demand, and the impact of gold mining (galamsey) on agricultural land indicate a need for environmental conservation efforts. Furthermore, activities supporting the living foundation and human rights of producers, such as securing educational opportunities for children, preventing child labor, and supporting the independence and social advancement of women, are becoming increasingly important.
Based on this situation, in the first phase of support, Nissin Kako implemented the following two support measures through MC AgriAlliance Ltd. (*).
* MC AgriAlliance Ltd.: As a member of the Mitsubishi Corporation Group, handles the import and sale of agricultural raw materials including cocoa beans. Engages in raw material procurement with consideration for sustainability, such as providing agricultural guidance in producing regions and supporting children's school attendance.
(1) Support for the construction of a cassava processing plant
In a village in the Republic of Ghana where cocoa production is thriving, a processing plant was built to add value by processing cassava (a type of potato), which is a staple food. Amidst dirt roads running through the center of the village and houses with wooden-framed mud walls and tin roofs, this building with its eye-catching bright purple exterior wall has become a new hub for the community.
At the processing plant, local women play a central role in processing cassava into the traditional food "Gari." What was crucial in this support was not to provide immediate supplies like motorcycles or agricultural machinery, but to create a "mechanism by which the community can become self-reliant and endure." With the supplementary income from the products created at the processing plant, they will be able to procure the materials they need on their own. We believe that this "cycle of self-reliance" is the true purpose of the support.
During a local visit in 2025, the following voices were heard from the community:
- "With the income earned from cassava processing, we were able to dig a well in the village. We were also able to repair the school roof."
- "We also use the processing plant as a community gathering place. Ceremonies are now held here too."
- "Currently, five neighboring communities are jointly using this processing plant."
The sight of women, whose roles were once primarily supportive on cocoa farms, now taking the initiative to generate income themselves is vitalizing the entire community.
(2) Planting of shade trees
The lifespan of cocoa trees is limited to about 25-30 years if exposed to direct sunlight continuously, but by planting shade trees, continued harvesting for 50-80 years can be expected. They provided and planted 10,000 to 20,000 fast-growing evergreen trees, working towards the conservation of the cocoa forest and ecosystem.
During local inspections, we confirmed that farmers are carefully practicing pruning and environmental improvement under the guidance of local agricultural instructors. The 37-year-old farmer who manages the model farm inspected this time has nearly 20 years of experience in cocoa cultivation and manages farmland almost six times the Ghanaian average (about 1 hectare). Appropriate sunlight management and ventilation using shade trees have also proven effective in suppressing diseases such as black pod (fungus).