Cargill said its planned investment of $5m over the next three years in sustainable cocoa initiatives will help address the worst forms of child labour in cocoa growing communities in the Ivory Coast and Ghana.

The cocoa and chocolate ingredients supplier Cargill announced that it is collaborating with non-governmental organisation, CARE, on a new programme of activities including improving access to education and basic services, as well as the promotion of best practice crop management.

Cargill claims that its support for the NGO programme, in addition to the work it is doing through its own farmer field schools, will boost the livelihoods of cocoa growing families and reduce the pressure on family finances, and in turn the reliance on child labour.

The farmer field school programme focuses on farming techniques and post-harvest activities such as pruning, farm renewal and cocoa fermentation methods, as well as stressing the importance of school attendance for children and HIV awareness.

Cargill is aiming to process 10,000 tonnes of certified cocoa beans by the end of 2010.