Green Label: Ivorian savings, green and sustainable?

In Côte d’Ivoire, individuals can now participate in the reforestation effort. The Green Label company has set itself the goal of rebuilding the forest cover by producing 100,000 hectares of teak over a 10-year period (from 2013 to 2023). It undertakes to grow this wood and:

• deliver the plants to the purchasers after 15 years,
• or to buy back the ripe teak feet from its customers.

Green Label therefore cultivates and maintains teak plots until maturity for 20,000 FCFA per month and per hectare (30€/month) that individuals buy. This makes the product very accessible and cost effective. In the short and medium term, this green savings would enable individuals to finance a home, to ensure that children attend university or to be integrated into working life.

Green Label acts, using only land not occupied and not used for agriculture. Land grabbing is one of the major problems in Africa. It is estimated that around 227 million hectares (from developing countries) have been sold since 2001, mostly to international investors.

These purchases, dedicated to intensive agriculture for export to the countries and markets of the North, hinder the development of the agricultural sector in Africa. On the one hand, by not allowing smallholders to increase their production, on the other hand, by limiting the growing needs of the population… A phenomenon that is constantly increasing according to Oxfam.

Investment for all?

But that’s not all. The company wants to be a partner. It relies on proximity and even spends an annual budget of 5,000 FCFA/year/hectare (or 7.5€) on socio-economic projects (access to drinking water, health, education) for the benefit of people living in rural areas.

Fighting rural exodus and emigration to forest areas, preserving the environment, safeguarding biodiversity, recycling household waste are some of the battles initiated by Green Label. The others are to generate interest in reforestation and help Côte d’Ivoire achieve sustainable development goals.

Currently, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 13 million hectares of forests disappear each year. That’s about 20,000 hectares a day. A dangerous pace that is shaping a catastrophic scenario for our planet: extinction of plant and animal species, climate change, increased emissions of greenhouse gases…

“(…) 13 million hectares of forest disappear every year.”

In this context, the fight against deforestation seems to be more than urgent. Since Côte d’Ivoire – like Africa – is facing massive deforestation, a solution must be found quickly. And the ever-increasing demand for teak may be one solution to the problem.

Indeed, teak is appreciated for its many uses. Its aesthetic qualities (smooth wood, caramel color with copper highlights, pleasant to the touch), technological (renowned for its ease of working) and its resistance (to climate, insects and termites, chemicals and other degradation agents) make it a market value. It is a durable and impurity-proof wood, highly sought after for outdoor use. A good investment for crowdfunding and for the planet…

Photo credit: Green Label