Socio-economic development
The Group focuses its initiatives for the benefit of its operating territories on 2 major axes:
- promotion of local entrepreneurship, particularly in the agri-food sector, which takes the form of financial support (grants of interest-free loans for business start-ups, construction of training centres for agricultural trades, support for the development of income-generating activities for women, provision of farmland, support for the Transform project in partnership with the IECD to help develop agri-food processing activities)
- development of a contractual agricultural framework, through raising awareness, training and support for local producers towards agricultural practices that are more respectful of people and the environment.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the Océana project encourages small-scale farmers to develop quality products that meet consumer requirements in terms of quality, variety and price. In partnership with the IECD, Océana offers agronomic support to producers in the Tiassalé region by establishing simplified specifications to enable them to develop their production and market fruit and vegetables throughout the year.
In addition to these areas of intervention, Compagnie Fruitière contributes to improving local populations’ living conditions by financing essential infrastructure. It thus facilitates access to housing, electricity, drinking water, education and health for its employees, their families and the surrounding populations. For example, the Group has built about ten school complexes in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire that are accessible to all. The Group also finances the construction or renovation of classrooms in public or private schools in the territories where it operates, as well as the free distribution of school supplies and the setting up of school canteens.
In the area of health, no less than two referral hospitals accessible to all, five maternity hospitals and some thirty health centres have been built in the producing countries in Africa. More than 200,000 consultations are carried out there annually.
