Solar cocoa dryer at Ecoya, Côte d’Ivoire
Nestlé, with its supply chain partner Olam, has built three solar cocoa driers for its cooperatives. These use simple locally available materials – wood, bamboo and polythene – and use the power of the sun to dry the cocoa while protecting it from rainstorms. This helps speed up the drying process and improve the quality of the cocoa from the cooperative, helping the farmers earn a higher price. The General Manager from one of the cooperatives, Ecoya, said "the cocoa dries much quicker and helps us sort the cocoa while it is drying".
