With increasing consumer concerns over palm oil sustainability, demand for coconut oil as an alternative is rising, particularly in chocolate, bakery, and dessert production. Within the Coop Group, Chocolats Halba is a key player, actively sourcing and expanding its volumes of Fairtrade and Bio Suisse Organic certified crude coconut oil (CNO).
The Sustainable Coconut Oil from Côte d’Ivoire project, integrates Dynamic Agroforestry (DAF) systems to enhance soil fertility, farm productivity, and climate resilience while securing long-term coconut oil supply. The initiative builds on a 1.5-year pilot phase (2021–2022), demonstrating the success of agroforestry-based coconut farming.
The project is a collaboration between HALBA, ECOTOP Suisse GmbH, and Pro Fair Trade AG, a Swiss trading company specializing in sourcing fats and oils from developing countries. Pro Fair Trade AG is also the majority shareholder of PMCI Sarl (Plantations Modernes de la Côte d’Ivoire), a local enterprise recently granted land rights to develop and manage a sustainable coconut plantation in Andou M’Batto.
PMCI is pioneering a commercially viable agroforestry model to demonstrate the economic and environmental advantages over conventional monoculture systems. A DAF pilot plot on PMCI’s estate will serve as both a production model and a training center for smallholder farmers involved in the project.
The project integrates Dynamic Agroforestry (DAF) across 81 hectares, combining smallholder farms and PMCI’s plantation to improve coconut yields, soil health, and biodiversity. Through practical training, technical monitoring, and a coconut-specific DAF manual, it supports sustainable farming practices while enhancing farmer livelihoods and promoting climate-smart agriculture. ECOTOP’s role covers all the following areas:
