Launching the evolved Tony’s Open Chain Productivity Programme
In 2024/25, Tony’s Open Chain undertook a series of targeted activities to inform the design of an improved productivity programme. This included review of existing research, internal assessments, external consultations, in-depth consultations with partner cooperatives and a farmer survey designed to capture insights directly from the field.
Our review further highlighted that, historically, Tony’s Open Chain’s farm development programme operated in 1-year cycles. Starting with individual farm assessments to tailor short-term plans focused on GAPs, coaches then provided training and monitored progress, while partner cooperatives used assessment data to guide input and labour subsidies. However, the assessment carried out this season highlighted the need for a more strategic, long-term approach. To maximise impact further, we are therefore introducing a new model, made up of two packages: the “Foundations” package (for all farmers) and the “Farm Transformation” package (for a subset of especially motivated farmers, 72 initially targeting 30% of farmers supplying to Tony’s Open Chain). In addition, the innovation part of our programme will focus on piloting new approaches. By 2030, we aim to support 60,000 cocoa farmers in implementing improved forest-positive approaches. Of these, at least 30% of farmers will be targeted with specialised interventions using a needs-based approach.
As part of our review of external research, we noted 2 findings in particular:
1. The importance of improved farming practices, improved cocoa variety selection and optimised input-use to enhance productivity levels, with a particular focus on agroforestry. 70 2. The importance of integrating a targeted approach into our programming. Evidence increasingly shows that targeted approaches are more effective than one-size-fits-all models. A household segmentation study by KIT underscores the high degree of heterogeneity among cocoa farmers in terms of practices, resources and income levels. 71 Differentiating farmers into distinct segments enables tailored interventions that are better suited to their specific needs and more likely to improve livelihoods. 70. Ghana Cocoa Board and Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa. Income Study of Cocoa Producing Households in Ghana , November 2024. 71. Laven, Anna, Rik Habraken, and Cedric Steijn. Pathways for Closing the Income Gap for Cocoa Farming Households in Côte d’Ivoire: A Segmented Approach. KIT Royal Tropical Institute, January 2022. 72. Tony’s Open Chain has developed criteria to define the motivated farmer group. Each partner cooperative has been invited to review how these criteria apply in their context and to add additional verifiable criteria based on local realities where relevant. These definitions will be further developed together with cooperatives in the 2025/26 season. See our Interesting Appendices for the criteria .
Quarterly meeting between Tony’s Open Chain and partner cooperatives in Côte d´Ivoire, which included a workshop to inform the design of the evolved productivity programme (July 2025)
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Ending exploitation in cocoa together
Living income
Climate, environment & productivity
Human rights
Governance & finances
Interesting appendices
Scaling for change
Introduction
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