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The Income Accelerator Program

As an innovative family-centered approach, the Nestlé income accelerator program is aiming to close the living income gap and reduce child labor risks by encouraging change in behavior, rewarding positive practices through a mix of cash incentives and training programs – both within the home, like Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), and on the farm like pruning.

two teachers and four kids
Closing the Living Income Gap for Cocoa-farming Communities
Closing the Living Income Gap for Cocoa-farming Communities
harvesting
What is the Income Accelerator Program?

It is an innovative family-centred approach that is aiming to close the gap to a living income and reducing child labour risks. By rewarding through cash incentives both heads of the households, we are looking at the family and placing greater value on women as agents for positive change.

cocoa pods
Our impact so far

We delivered the first progress report on the Nestlé income accelerator in 2023. As we scaled up the program to reach more families, we continued to share updates on our impact and challenges. The measurement and evaluation of the program is completed independently by KIT Institute.

The timeline of the Nestlé Income Accelerator Program​
  • 2020
  • 2022
  • 2024
  • 2026
  • 2030
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    Pilot program

    1000 Cocoa-farming families in Côte d’Ivoire take part in the Income Accelerator Program.
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    Test at scale

    The pilot is expanded to include over 10 000 cocoa-farming families in Côte d’Ivoire for the test at scale phase.
  • Farmer planting shade tree in cocoa agroforestry project

    Scale-up

    Based on learnings from the pilot and the test at scale, we are building on the program within Côte d’Ivoire, while expanding into Ghana.

  • 45 000 families are participating

    We continued our expansion engaging about 45 000 cocoa-farming families. Discover the latest program results here.

  • woman with four smilley kids

    Ambition

    Since launching the Nestlé income accelerator in 2022, we have been extending our reach, with an initial ambition of supporting approximately 160,000 cocoa-farming families by 2030. We will continue to expand our engagement while adapting our approach, including revisiting this initial ambition, as the TogetherCocoa Foundation scales. Going forward, we expect to broaden our reach both through our direct supply chain and the development of the Foundation.

Our Stories

KitKat is part of a pioneering program


The Nestlé income accelerator builds on the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, launched in 2009, and more than 15 years of experience supporting cocoa-farming families and the environments in which they operate.

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Good Agricultural Practices

The Journey Behind Your Chocolate: Introducing the Nestlé Cocoa Plan


The Nestlé Cocoa Plan was launched in 2009 and now counts more than 15 years of experience in the field. So far, the program has engaged with over 175 000 farmers in 11 origin countries, covering more than 300,000 tons of cocoa in 2025.

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Good Agricultural Practices

Pruning And Sustainable Cocoa Production


Selectively pruning degraded and diseased branches can help improve overall yield and quality of cocoa pods from older trees. By promoting pruning, farmers can divesify incomes while limiting crop disease and loss, to great effect.

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