When someone told me the other day that The Hershey Company (you know, that big one in Pennsylvania with all the kisses?) is making mobile phones, my first thought was: “why in God’s name would they try to compete with Apple and Google?” My second thought was: “are they available with almonds?”

More interested in finding out the answer to the latter, I went hunting to verify the merits of this preposterous claim. Surely, someone was pulling the leg of the guy who loves candy and technology above all else. I have come to find out that this story is true. According to Hershey themselves, they are, in fact, developing a mobile network…in Africa.

That’s right. As a part of their continued effort to improve the lives of cocoa farmers in West Africa, Hershey has been rolling out a mobile phone network in Ghana. It’s called CocoaLink and it started last year. The program is a joint venture with the World Cocoa Foundation and the Ghana Cocoa Board where cocoa farmers will use low cost mobile phones linked to the Hershey CocoaLink network with the idea that it will help them be better farmers.

The idea, as I understand it, is that the farmers will not only be more productive when they can communicate more quickly and efficiently within their community, but the phones will also be used to deliver informative tips to help them. Text and voice messages about cocoa farming best practices, sustainability and family health are sent to the farmers with the hopes that they will adopt better techniques and live healthier lives.

Healthier, more productive farmers means more chocolate for Hershey and more income for the farmers. It’s a win-win. Farmers who make more money and have healthier families are more likely to keep growing cocoa. A healthy cocoa industry helps West African countries, like Ghana, achieve and maintain a more stable and diverse economic system. Sounds pretty good. So, how’s the progress so far?

According to Hershey, it’s going well enough to expand into the Ivory Coast. There are about 600,000 cocoa farmers there and it is estimated that half are already using low cost mobile phones.

I have to say, I’m a little disappointed that I won’t be able to use a cell phone that looks like a Hershey bar here in the US of A. But it sounds like this program has the potential to change lives and support community growth and progress in an area of the world that desperately needs it.

Chocolate is making the world a better place.

Support Hershey in their mission to help West African farmers, buy Hershey’s chocolate bulk candy at ACandyStore.com.

Someone said there are no purely self-less acts. Hershey has recently committed to invest over $10 million to help the farming families in West Africa. Cocoa farming families, that is. They want the farmers to not only produce more chocolate for their popular candy bars and snacks, but to produce it for a long time forward. Is it all about the bottom line or is there real charity at work here?

In most West African farming communities, the resources to farm efficiently are limited. Not only do they lack all the sophisticated technological machinery and equipment that can optimize yield with computer-like accuracy, but basic family needs are sometimes lacking as well. Health is a big one. Sanitation and drought concerns have caused health issues, but lack of proper nutrition is a factor too. Part of that is because the families don’t have enough money to properly feed themselves.

Hershey is doing a great thing by not just giving the farmers a fish, but teaching them how to fish. I knew there was a parable in this story somewhere. By working with local experts in agriculture and in community development, Hershey hopes to achieve genuine progress in these areas. They estimate that family farms are capable of producing 50% more cocoa than they currently produce. That kind of bulk increase would provide a nice bump in the income of the farming families which would benefit the communities as a whole.

This isn’t the first time Hershey has gotten involved with cocoa farmers. They have been providing assistance to for over 50 years. So, they now have an extensive network of partnerships they can leverage to provide knowledge and other resources to the West African cocoa farmers. There are currently 2 million of these farmers and their growth and continued success would mean that Hershey will have a reliable supplier for the raw material that makes some of the best chocolate candy out there.

Here’s what their CEO, J.P. Bilbrey, had to say about the project:

“Our global consumers want The Hershey Company to be a leader in responsible business practices and in finding smart ways to benefit cocoa communities. We are excited and humbled by this opportunity to create positive change in West Africa.”

Corporate CEO-speak or genuine good will? I say, who cares. If it works like they say it will, it’s a win-win. We, the candy lovers, get to enjoy Hersheys chocolate for years to come and communities is West Africa have healthier and happier families. Kudos to Hershey on a smart business move for all the right reasons.

Support Hershey and their campaign; buy Hershey chocolate candy in bulk at ACandyStore.com.

Photograph by: Karen Robinson
Hersheys Helps African Family Farms Make More Money and Grow More Cocoa.