Rural Development : Responsible sourcing| Nestlé

Inside the challenge

Ensuring that the raw materials that we use in our products are safe and of high quality is essential for our company. Smallholder farmers in Central and West Africa are continuing to carry out traditional farming methods, which can lead to low-quality and low-yield of key ingredients we depend on. 

This increases the risk of contaminated crops, crop waste and losses, impacting on the livelihood of farmers. We are therefore helping farmers with training on good agricultural practices to increase yields, crop quality and income levels.

The farming population is ageing and more young people are moving to urban areas. In order to make rural communities more attractive, we are also working with our partners to provide access to basic infrastructure, including access to water and sanitation facilities.

Agricultural supply chains are often complex, which makes tracing of raw materials a challenge. This requires working with farmers, cooperatives, suppliers and other partners to address social and environmental issues.