Launched in 2022, the Nestlé Income Accelerator is a family centred approach designed to help close the living income gap for cocoa farming families and reduce child labour risks. The program encourages change at household and farm level and rewards practices that contribute to improved livelihoods, environmental stewardship and community resilience.
During this webinar, Nestlé will share the latest results of the program that is accelerating impact at scale, drawing on an independent impact assessment by the KIT Institute, insights from participating households, and feedback from partners implementing the initiative on the ground.
The discussion will bring together independent expert, an implementing partner, a cocoa farmer and a community advocate offering an opportunity for open exchange on what is working, what needs improvement, and how lessons learned can inform future approaches across the sector.
Confirmed panellists
Oumou Diallo (PhD) is the Senior Advisor of Impact Economics at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute, focusing on agricultural development, integrated seed systems development, education, gender and financial inclusion. Her expertise builds on the numerous international development issues she has worked on, such as forced displacement, cash transfers, education, agriculture and gender, and her experience with the private sector and international organisations
Zoé Galliath is an agronomist with 8+ years of field experience in Côte d’Ivoire, working at the intersection of sustainability, farming communities, and landscape protection. She began her career in plastic waste recycling before moving into the cocoa sector, where she supported conservation-area protection initiatives. Today, as Project Manager for Nestlé’s Income Accelerator Program at Beyond Beans, she helps scale sustainable cocoa farming practices and initiatives that strengthen farmer incomes and social development.
Mr. Gansoré Seydou is a cocoa farmer and section delegate with the SCOOPAL cooperative (Barry Callebaut) in the Dagodou section near Lakota. A participant in the Income Accelerator Program since 2022, he farms approximately 2.3 hectares and shares practical experience on how improved agronomic practices can translate into higher productivity. He highlights pruning as a key change: in one harvest he produced nearly one metric ton from his plot, contributing to a meaningful income increase that enabled him to purchase land for a future home.
Ms. Zadi Doriane is President of the Zozo Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) within the SCAPCC cooperative (Barry Callebaut) near Lakota, and has participated in the Income Accelerator Program since 2022. As a community leader and the spouse of a cocoa farmer, she brings a household and women’s economic empowerment perspective to the panel, sharing how savings groups can strengthen resilience and enable practical investments. Through VSLA participation, she has supported her children’s education expenses and made a productive investment in a large freezer to grow and sustain income-generating activities.
Nathan Bello is an Agricultural Engineer trained at Louvain-la-Neuve University in Belgium. He currently leads the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in West and Central Africa including the innovative Nestlé income accelerator. He is passionate about strengthening farmer capacity, empowering women and accelerating sustainable practices within the cocoa supply chain. Before Nestlé, Nathan held senior roles in different companies including the Fairtrade Labelling Organizationat and SODECOTON (Cameroon Cotton Company), contributing to agricultural development across West Africa.
Stéphane Detaille is Head of ESG for Nestlé’s Confectionery & Snacking SBU. Based in Switzerland, he leads sustainability strategy with a strong focus on cocoa supply chains across key areas including climate, regenerative agriculture, and farmer livelihoods. With a background spanning sustainability and marketing, he brings a practical, impact-driven perspective on scaling responsible sourcing.
