Magnum plants 465,000 trees in Côte d’Ivoire

Magnum is working with communities and teams on the ground to make sure barriers to successful re-forestation are addressed.

CAPE TOWN, March 23 (ANA) – Belgian brand Magnum is planting 465,000 trees in the Cavally region of Côte d’Ivoire, as part of its new tree planting programme.

Magnum is popular for its delicious chocolate, much of which is made from cocoa sourced in Côte d’Ivoire.

“We are proud to announce our work to protect and preserve forests in Côte d’Ivoire, where the majority of Magnum’s cocoa is sourced,” Magnum’s Brand Director, Ben Curtis, said on their company website on Sunday.

“Pleasure Seekers can enjoy their Magnum ice-cream knowing they’ve made a good choice for people and the planet.”

Curtis said the tree planting programme would help foster a sustainable future for both Magnum and the local cocoa farming communities in the country.

In 1978, the West African country became the worlds leading supplier of cocoa and they have been heavily dependent on the crop ever since, according to Esri, a data mapping and analytics site.

“There are 600,000 farmers producing cocoa and about 6 million people working in the cocoa industry in Cote d’Ivoire,” the site said.

“Today cocoa accounts for 40% of their total exports.”

Esri reported that environmental campaigners have said that if deforestation is not stopped, Côte d’Ivoire risks losing all its forest cover by 2034.

In efforts to address the issue, Magnum said it was also working with communities and teams on the ground to make sure barriers to successful re-forestation are addressed.

Magnum said this included sustainable land tenure, decent livelihoods, and women’s economic empowerment, to allow for the creation of long-term, sustainable solutions in the country.

Additionally, the brand has announced the unveiling of its unique arts and radio collaboration, building on its long history of championing important causes through the expression of art.

The collaboration is aimed at engaging local communities to work alongside Magnum to protect and restore biodiverse forest habitats.

The programmes are conducted on the ground in French, helping local farmers and communities understand the importance of protecting and preserving critical habitats for future generations, and ensure farmers are aware of their rights, the brand stated.

Sunday 21 March was International Day of Forests, a day to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.

It was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.

The theme of the International Day of Forests for 2021 was “Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being.”

The UN reported that forests are home to about 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, with more than 60,000 tree species.

Around 1.6 billion people depend directly on forests for food, shelter, energy, medicines, and income, according to the UN.

“The restoration and sustainable management of forests help address the climate change and biodiversity crises,”

“It also produces goods and services for sustainable development, fostering an economic activity that creates jobs and improves lives,” said the UN.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Devereaux Morkel