Barry Callebaut’s mobile banking program reaches its 10,000th cocoa farmer

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Barry Callebaut’s mobile banking program reaches its 10,000th cocoa farmer

Barry Callebaut’s mobile banking program reaches its 10,000th cocoa farmer

Story
A new mobile phone under the cocoa tree: a few days before Christmas, Barry Callebaut celebrates the 10,000th cocoa farmer to join its mobile banking program. Earlier today, Zallé Alimissi Salame, from the village of Tiokorodougou, received his mobile phone and solar charger from Barry Callebaut’s local team in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
Zallé Alimissi Salame getting his new mobile phone and solar charger

Zallé Alimissi Salame, age 57, is extremely happy with his new mobile phone and solar charger: “I would like to thank all the people who initiated this program. This will change my life. Today, I feel like it is Christmas and Biopartenaire is Santa Claus. ”

This innovative financial system is based on secure mobile phone technology and offered to farmers who are registered with Biopartenaire, Barry Callebaut’s direct farmer sourcing and services organization in Côte d’Ivoire. Once farmers are equipped and signed up, payment for the delivery of cocoa beans is made directly into the farmer’s mobile account. The farmer’s financial assets are password-secured to avoid theft, a constant worry of farmers keeping cash. The mobile money can be used directly for payments at shops or public institutions, or cash may be withdrawn at cashpoints. 

Zallé Alimissi Salame getting his new mobile phone and solar charger.

Barry Callebaut's local Biopartenaire team participates and celebrates the success of the mobile banking program

The mobile banking program was born from a partnership between Biopartenaire and mobile phone services provider Orange CI. The cost of solar chargers and the withdrawal costs are financially supported through a public-private partnership program between DEG (Deutsche Entwicklungsgesellschaft) and Barry Callebaut.

Andres Tschannen, who initiated the program when he was running Biopartenaire, is proud of its achievement so far: “Mobile banking represents a step-change in making cocoa farming a more professional and sustainable business. It benefits ten thousand farmers and their families and underlines Barry Callebaut’s strategy to support farmer livelihoods”.

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