Mars’ Vision For Change Project Draws Support From Director General Of The Cocoa And Coffee Council Of Côte d’Ivoire

November 25, 2014 /3BL Media/ - Last week, the Vision for Change project was honored to welcome Madame Massandje Toure-Litse, Director General of the Cocoa & Coffee Council (Conseil Café Cacao or CCC) of Côte d’Ivoire, for a visit to two participating communities. 

Madame Toure-Litse is an important partner and supporter of the Mars effort as well as those within the broader cocoa industry to make cocoa growing in Cote d’Ivoire more sustainable. As the Director General of the CCC, Madame Toure-Litse’s decisions have a significant impact on the cocoa sector - in 2012, after becoming the head of the CCC, she spearheaded the successful reform of the Ivorian cocoa sector, bringing significant benefits to the Ivorian cocoa farmer. 

During the visit, she met with a CVC operator and was able to see how much success he has had because of the training and support he has received. She also saw the critical community development work that Vision for Change is pursuing, helping to empower cocoa communities to improve their quality of life. 

The Vision for Change (V4C) program is an integral part of Mars Chocolate’s Sustainable Cocoa Initiative (SCI). It is an innovative and holistic approach to achieving sustainable cocoa production by addressing farmer productivity and community issues together.

Through the Vision for Change (V4C) program, Mars partners with the CCC and other local Ivorian Government partners such as CNRA (an agronomic research center) and ANADER (local extension services).

Madame Toure-Litse emphasized that Mars was one of the very first companies with which the CCC developed a “partnership,” which is beyond mere collaboration. 

She said: “We run together actions related to productivity and to Community development. My feeling is that communities have endorsed the Mars and CCC vision of involving local inhabitants to determine their own needs. You certainly have seen that during these two days. We presided over ceremonies to inaugurate schools, health centers and [water] pumps. Communities are really involved in the whole process, for they have contributed to the funding.” 

She added, “We‘re really satisfied with this approach. Mars has actually pioneered this among the industry. Mars had got the vision, the first so to speak, to become associated with CCC to conduct productivity actions but also support community development operations by associating with cocoa producing communities. We are very satisfied.”

To see the video of Massandje Toure-Litse’s visit, click here. 

About Madame Massandje Toure-Litse

In January 2012, Madam Massandjé Touré-Litsé was appointed Director General (CEO) of Conseil du Café-Cacao in Côte d’Ivoire, which is responsible for the regulation, stabilization and sustainable development of the coffee and cocoa sector. From 2010-2012, she served as President of CGFCC (Comité de Gestion de la Filière Café-Cacao), after being 2nd Vice-President of CGFCC from 2009-2010. From 2004-2007, Massandjé Touré-Litsé held senior positions in the administration of Côte d’Ivoire, first as Technical Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, then as Technical Adviser to the Prime Minister. Between 1996 and 2002, Massandjé Touré-Litsé worked in the private sector, last with Telecel Côte d’Ivoire and prior to this with the Corporate Bank Group (CBG) of Citibank N.A. Abidjan. From 1992-1996, she served as Financial Analyst in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister after working as a Debt Analyst with the World Bank in Washington D.C. from 1988-1989. Massandjé Touré-Litsé holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Université Nationale de Côte d’Ivoire and a MBA in International Finance from George Washington University in Washington D.C., USA.

About Vision for Change 

The Vision for Change partnership comprising Mars Inc., ICRAF, CNRA, Agence Nationale d'Appui au Développement Rural (ANADER) is an innovative and holistic approach to increasing farmer incomes and assisting communities to improve their living standards and address the issue of children working instead of attending school.

In working to build private/public partnerships that benefit the farmer and the corporation, we deliver a productivity package to farmers through training in good agricultural practices, and provide farmers with access to fertilizer and superior planting material, helping to empower community members to address the socio-economic needs that will improve their communities.

About Mars, Incorporated

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital, CESAR®, SHEBA®, DREAMIES® and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food – UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA® and WISDOM PANEL®.

For more information about Mars, Incorporated, please visit www.mars.com.

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