Sustainability report 2019

34 Contributes to: Driving impact beyond our supply base Shea is a fantastic crop that grows in agroforestry systems or parklands of West Africa. Shea trees grow wild or in traditional farming systems where agriculture LQWHJUDWHV JURZLQJ WUHHV IRU PXWXDO EHQH¿WV VXFK DV improved soil quality and increased water holding capacity. However, the trees are being put under an increasing pressure by population growth in the shea EHOW ZKLFK UHVXOWV LQ DQ LQFUHDVHG QHHG IRU ¿UHZRRG farmland and settlements. Climate change is also having a negative impact on shea tree population in West Africa. In order to mitigate these impacts and to ensure shea trees will still be there to provide an income for the next generation shea collectors, AAK has started two initiatives in 2019 to support rejuvenation of trees in the UHJLRQ 7KH ¿UVW LQLWLDWLYH LV D SDUWQHUVKLS EHWZHHQ $$. GIZ (German Corporation for International Corporation) and the Program for the Protection and Rehabilitation of degraded lands and strengthening of local land in rural DUHDV RI %XUNLQD )DVR 3UR6RO %XUNLQD )DVR seedlings have been given to communities in Western %XUNLQD )DVR ZKR KDYH DOVR EHHQ WUDLQHG RQ SODQWLQJ the trees correctly and to ensure their survival as best possible. We will be monitoring the success of this project going forward. The second initiative was driven by our business unit in Western Europe who, as previously mentioned, sponsored a partnership with TREE AID, and planted 834 trees across the shea belt for all visitors at our VWDQG GXULQJ WKH )RRG /LIH 0DWWHUV H[KLELWLRQ LQ /RQGRQ DQG )L( )RRG LQJUHGLHQWV (XURSH LQ 3DULV