By Vivian Ihechu
For many years, families like Faustin Menzan’s in Côte d’Ivoire, who farm cocoa in West Africa have been suffering.
They help produce cocoa for chocolate for the whole world, but they never see enough money to live better.
Their farms are old, the market price for cocoa is never stable, and they face a hard choice: manage with the little money they get, or send their children to school.
Just like in Cote d’Ivoire, which is the No.1 largest cocoa producer in Africa, this struggle is big for cocoa farmers in West Africa generally.
In Nigeria for instance, aged cocoa trees (30+ years) and the prevalence of diseases have created a crisis in Nigerian cocoa farming.
In spite of Nigeria being a top global producer, official figures from the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) estimate annual production at approximately 280,000 metric tons (MT).
Nigeria is Africa’s fourth-largest cocoa producer after Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon, accounting for approximately 8.32 per cent of the total global export value of Cocoa Bean, with an export value of 669,988,557 USD, according to The Tridge.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a significant surge in Nigeria’s cocoa exports, with the country exporting N1.2 trillion in 2024 and up from N171 billion in 2023, representing an impressive 606 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone.
However, the average national yield remains critically low at about 400 kg/ha, significantly below the 1,000 kg/ha potential seen in neighbouring West African nations.
This low productivity is compounded by poor farming practices, deforestation risk, limited access to improved seedlings, and a lack of essential inputs like fertilisers, child involvement in cocoa fields, and climate change impact.
The result is low farmer income, discouraging younger generations and threatening the sector’s sustainability, necessitating urgent renewal and rehabilitation.
The Nestlé Income Accelerator Programme (IAP), inaugurated in 2022 as an innovative, family-centred approach aims to close the living income gap and reduce child labour risks in cocoa-growing communities.
The programme incentivises and enables positive practices both on the farm and within the household, including school enrollment, good agricultural practices, agroforestry, and income diversification.
Stéphane Detaille, Global Sustainability Manager for confectionery at Nestlé revealed the ambitious Nestle Income Accelerator programme, emphasising its innovative approach.
“We’re moving from farmer centricity to a family centricity,” Stefan stated, highlighting the programme’s unique strategy.
Discussing the programme’s growth during a webinar – Nestlé income accelerator program: Annual Progress Report”, hosted by Innovation Forum in partnership with Nestlé, on June 25, 2025, Detaille noted, “We launched in 2020 a pilot that helped us also to officially launch the nest income accelerator in 2022 reaching 10,000 families.
“We scaled up to 30,000 families, with an extension to Ghana in 2024.
“The programme offers significant financial incentives.
“Farming families can earn up to 500 euros in the two first years, and then it will be moving to 250 euros when the practices, such as pruning, will be unlocking the full potential of the cocoa farm.”
The new progress report from KIT Institute offered fresh insights on the impact of Nestlé’s Income Accelerator Program (IAP).
Detaille stressed the importance of collaboration: “We cannot solve the challenges alone… the necessary income accelerator is definitely bringing novelty, and there is inspiration in many other programmes.”
The ultimate goal, according to him, is to reach “160,000 cocoa farming families by 2030.”
The Nestlé Income Accelerator Programme (IAP) has brought a new way, representing a paradigm shift from traditional volume-based premiums to direct financial incentives for adopting sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices.
This is changing their lives from serious hardship to real hope.
The 2025 progress report for the Income Accelerator Programme (IAP), confirmed that its ambitious model of rewarding cocoa farming families for social and environmental stewardship is delivering tangible economic gains.
Findings confirmed that the programme, in spite a difficult cocoa season, is increasing cocoa productivity and household income but also strengthening resilience, improving gender equality, and enhancing children’s wellbeing.
The 2025 IAP report said it successfully onboarded thousands of families across West Africa, achieving a notable reduction in the income gap for participants compared to non-participants.
A key finding is the significant uptake in agroforestry, where farmers are integrating diverse native shade trees with their cocoa crops—a move crucial for climate resilience and biodiversity.
Attesting to the impact of the programme, the feedback of Faustin Menzan, a farmer participating in the programme in Côte d’Ivoire, resonated strongly with the reality facing Nigerian families.
He said: “This programme changed my mind about farming.
“Before, the work was too hard for the small gain. Now, the extra money comes in when I need it most, helping me buy fertiliser and pay for the children’s books.
“It is the first time I feel seen, not just used.”
The result has been a measurable increase in both school attendance and agricultural resilience.
Daan Wensing, CEO of IDH, who leads the programme’s advisory committee, provided his industry perspective, saying: “From an industry standpoint, the IAP is a necessary evolution.
“We can no longer afford the reputational risk or the moral failure of farmer poverty.
“The IAP model provides an essential blueprint for shared responsibility. We need to see more companies commit to this direct, traceable incentive system.”
Charles Tellier, CEO of So-B-Green, who is implementing the programme on the ground, offered suggestions based on field experience.
“What worked best was the simplicity—cash for verifiable action.
“To improve, we must better integrate local financial literacy training.
“The money is coming, but many farmers need simple, guided solutions on how to save, invest in small side businesses, or manage this new, consistent income stream for long-term stability.”
Darrell High, Nestlé Cocoa Plan Manager, said “Since the launch of the Nestlé income accelerator programme, we have consistently refined our approach by incorporating feedback and insights from farming families, along with data gathered by KIT.
“We are already responding to the insights of the report by simplifying the programme in 2025.”
Oumou Diallo, Senior Advisor, Impact Economics, at KIT Institute, who assessed the programme’s early impact, highlighted the effectiveness of the incentive structure.
“Our initial assessment confirms the payments successfully de-risked crucial behaviour changes like agroforestry adoption and sending all children to school.
“However, the data suggests the next phase must focus intensely on ensuring income diversification, so families are less vulnerable to commodity price shocks and climate volatility.”
The expansion strategy places a high priority on Nigeria on opportunities of being onboarded, having seen its success in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.
Recognising Nigeria as a critical long-term sourcing hub and an area highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, Nestlé could look in that direction.
The IAP Model could help Nigeria’s cocoa agriculture as Diallo suggested ways to develop the model further.
“Our assessment shows the IAP is brilliant at addressing poverty drivers.
“However, for deeper impact, Nestlé should focus on accelerating crop diversification incentives, specifically to non-cocoa foods like yams and cassava.
“This protects the family from cocoa price shocks and builds stronger local food security. Furthermore, incentivising community women’s enterprise groups will maximise the impact of cash transfers.”
Nathan Bello, Cocoa Plan Manager for the CWAR region at Nestlé, confirmed the strategic importance of the expansion.
“In our region, the progress is clear. When you tie the cash directly to the health of the farm and the well-being of the family, farmers become true stewards.
“This isn’t a handout; it’s an investment in the rural economy that protects our entire supply chain.
“The strong early success in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire gives us the confidence to aggressively scale the model.”
Bello also lauded the empowerment of women through the IAP initiative.
Looking ahead, Detaille reinforced the company’s commitment to the IAP.
“This programme is central to achieving a fully sustainable cocoa supply chain.
“It proves that we don’t have to choose between supporting farmers and protecting the planet.
“We are learning how to embed social equity and environmental health into the very cost of our raw materials.
“Our goal is to reach 160,000 cocoa-farming families by 2030.
“This programme is fundamental to ensuring that every piece of chocolate we sell contributes to a thriving, poverty-free community. It sets a new standard for what ‘sustainable’ truly means.”
So, notablye, in spite challenges, the 2024 IAP report confirmed strong progress in four key areas, leading to a substantial boost in cocoa revenue and productivity.
The programme delivered an estimated net income increase of US$605 (15%) per household, largely driven by crucial cash transfers. This funding significantly improved resilience and well-being through financial inclusion, food security and women’s empowerment.
However, the Living Income (LI) gap remained statistically unchanged from 2022 due to rising costs and household size, which understandably is a global challenge, without evidence that the programme has yet led to more diversified income bases for farmers.
But, with its recorded successes, expanding this blueprint to the Nigerian cocoa sector would be impactful, as the sector, which is currently struggling with low yields and outdated infrastructure, stands to benefit immensely from adopting this direct incentive model.
The IAP model would provide a clear, three-part solution for Nigeria’s cocoa sector – cash for renovation and reforestation, school bonus mandate, as well as data and diversification, if adapted.
There is a need to adapt the IAP model to offer higher incentives specifically for cutting down old, dying trees and replacing them with new, high-yielding seedlings.
Government and private partners must create nurseries to supply millions of these new seedlings to farmers at no cost, as part of the cash-incentive contract.
On the ‘School Bonus’ Mandate, the success in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire shows that direct cash tied to school attendance is a powerful tool to eliminate child labour.
This must be the first condition for any farmer participating in a national cocoa scheme.
Also, data and diversification: Nigeria must copy the multi-cropping ambition. Paying farmers to plant plantain and yams alongside cocoa not only secures their food but makes them agri-business people instead of just cocoa producers.
Speaking on the potential for Nigerian adoption, Dr Aisha Bello, a Nigerian Agricultural Development Advocate, stated: “This is not just about Nestlé; it’s a template for African development.
“For Nigeria, the IAP shows us that if you want to eliminate child labour, you don’t use police — you use cash. If you want better yields, you don’t give a speech — you give money tied to new seedlings.
“The solution is economic dignity, and that is what we must achieve.”
To achieve and expand this, the word collaboration keeps resonating.
To expand, Detaille emphasised that collaboration was vital as “we cannot solve the challenges alone.”
Extending partnerships is essential since “there is inspiration in many other programmes.”
According to him, the Nestle income accelerator offers “a great platform to build the future of collaboration, as “our CEO remains a great supporter of the programme,” underscoring the collective commitment needed to drive success going forward.
So, as Nestle remains committed to continuing the expansion of the income accelerator programme in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, their main cocoa origins, especially with the recorded successes in spite some challenges, it also welcomes the interests of governments and other industry players.
This is so that, together, they will be able to scale up efforts and make a real difference for cocoa farmers and their families and for the cocoa sector as a whole.
As such, by adapting this template and collaborating with IAP, Nigeria could harness the opportunity that abounds.
It would be of advantage as economic experts project profitability in the global resurgence of the cocoa trade , even as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved the draft bill for the establishment of the National Cocoa Management Board (NCMB) in order to revamp Nigeria’s cocoa industry.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who had conveyed the decision, said the initiative aimed to establish Nigeria as a key player in the global cocoa market while enhancing the welfare of cocoa farmers nationwide.
Potentially, making the move to collaborate in the IAP initiative could make Nigeria lift its cocoa families out of the poverty shadow and make “Made in Nigeria” cocoa a symbol of wealth, abundance and ethical production. (NAN)www.nannews.ng
Edited by Oluwafunke Ishola
