Accra: Nestl© Ghana has hosted 15 cocoa farmers from the Ashanti Region at its Tema factory, offering them a firsthand look at how their produce is transformed into household brands such as Milo. The initiative, the first of its kind, forms part of Nestl©'s Creating Shared Value approach, which seeks to empower farmers while ensuring a sustainable cocoa supply for its operations.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Deborah Kwablah, Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Manager of Nestl© Ghana-Tema, said the company trained farmers in improved agronomic practices to help them increase yields and maximize income. 'When farmers get better yields, they earn more, and Nestl© also secures the cocoa needed for production. That's why we call it creating shared value,' she explained.
Mrs. Kwablah noted that Nestl© also invested in social infrastructure in cocoa-growing communities, commissioning 15 boreholes and five schools in 2025 alone, with additional schools, toilet facilities, and water systems under construction. She emphasized that the farmers invited to Tema were not only producers but also community leaders who supported others with best practices such as pruning and crop management.
She mentioned that for many participants, it was their first opportunity to witness how their cocoa contributes to Milo production, an experience Nestl© plans to institutionalize as an annual event. 'This is more than corporate social responsibility. For us, it is core business-creating value for farmers, Nestl©, and our shareholders,' she stressed.
Mr. Anthony Ofosu, a cocoa farmer from Adanfonsukitua in the Ashanti Region, expressed gratitude for the experience. He remarked, 'Since I began cocoa farming, I had never set foot in the factory until today. From what I have seen, I am deeply impressed, and when I return home, I will share my experience with my community so they too can be inspired by the contribution we make to the nation.'
He added that the farmers were guided through various machines and equipment, with explanations of how each one worked, and introduced to the wide range of products made from Ghanaian cocoa.
