Sustainable Coconut OilSolomon Islands

The project aims to improve livelihoods of copra producing families and communities in the Western Province of Solomon Islands and to develop supply chains of sus-tainably produced coconut.

ContextSolomon Islands is the second largest tropical island in the Pacific Islands group, which compri-ses six major islands. The main economic sectors are agriculture, forestry, saw milling, fishing, retail & wholesale, and manufacturing. In the agriculture sector, copra accounts for the largest crop with an estimated planted area of approximately 40,000 hectares. Coconut cultivation and copra production have always played an important role in the rural livelihood of the country.Coconut farming in the Western Province (as in the rest of the country) is done in a traditional way with little or no usage of inputs like fertilizers etc.

Majority of the coconut farms typically are of a few trees to a few hectares in size, and are individu-ally or community managed. These plantations were mostly established in the colonial period (pre-independence) and are passed on from one generation to the next, with very little replanting or new plantings at present. Logistics constraints, poor infrastructure and transport facilities, lack of consistent and dependable off-take arrangements, inability to achieve a fair pricing for the produce, and insufficient funding are some of the constraints coconut farmers face to improve their livelihoods.

Project ContentThe project consists of two phases. In phase one (July 2017 – March 2018), a needs assessment will be conducted to understand the farmer and com-munity needs in more detail. In phase two, based on this analysis, investments and other measures

Project FactsheetProject duration: July 2017 – December 2018Implementation partner: Pacific Rim Plantation Services Pte LtdFurther partners: The Forest TrustDirect beneficiaries: 400 smallholder coconut farmers and their family and community members (2’000-3’000 people)

Focus areas covered: creating the motivation, capabilities and capacity of farmers; fostering an enabling environment and removing constraints

About the Lindt Cocoa Foundation:The Lindt Cocoa Foundation was founded in 2013 and has the declared purpose of working to achieve social and ecological sustainability in the cultivation, production and processing of cocoa and other raw materials used in chocolate production.

Learn more: www.lindtcocoafoundation.org

will be taken to remove barriers hindering farmers to expand their participation in the coconut industry at the village levels in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands and ultimately improve their livelihoods. These measures may contain training in good agricultural, social and environmental practices, distribution of solar dryers for farming vil-lages, investment in community infrastructure, etc. The project should enhance the farmers’ resilience and make a positive contribution to the farmers, their families and the village communities. Some of the likely benefits from the program are creating youth employment, improving incomes and working conditions, having knowledge and being trained in doing business in a socially responsible and ethical manner. With a strong presence and trust built with the communities, implementation partners can interact closely with the smallholders to identify and

address issues relating to environmental and social priorities and be able to effectively implement solutions, which may cover aspects such as health & safety, nutrition, water catchment, sanitation, and other relevant areas.

Serving the mission of the Lindt Cocoa FoundationThe project puts coconut farming families from the Solomon Islands in the center, and touches upon two of the focus areas of the Lindt Cocoa Foundation: 1 Training and capacity building to create the motivation, capabilities and capacity of farmers to improve their farming practices 2 Agricultural and community development activities foster an enabling environment and remove constraints farmers face to improve their practices are removed. January 2018