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Archer Daniels Midland Company to Fund Construction of Bridges and Wells in 24 C'te da?Ivoire Cocoa Villages

^{Published on 2010-10-14 05:26:44 - Market Wire}
 

LONDON--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today announced that it will donate more than US$576,000 to OIC Internationalto fund bridge and well construction projects in 24 villages throughout C'te da™Ivoire.

"Over the long term, the bridges and wells constructed through this programme will also help to increase school enrolment rates for children in these areas"

Funding will be given to OIC International to construct 16 clean water wells, eight small bridges with the intention of completion by 2011.

David Lou©, sustainable development manager for ADM Cocoa in C'te da™Ivoire, says: aWorking with OIC International to fund these crucial infrastructure projects is another example of ADMa™s commitment to improving the lives of cocoa farmers and their communities. Construction of the clean water wells and bridges will lead to better health and more reliable infrastructure, resulting in improved farm incomes for 120,000 people in these communities, including 18,000 cocoa farmers who provide ADM Cocoa with approximately 18,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans per year.a

The 16 wells will be installed in rural communities throughout C'te da™Ivoire to make clean water more readily available and to help reduce the incidence of waterborne infectious diseases. The wells will also lessen the burden on women who typically must travel long distances to obtain water for their families. Eight wells will be constructed in 2010 with the remaining eight completed in 2011.

Eight bridges will be constructed near rural cocoa communities to facilitate travel between villages. Six bridges will be constructed in 2010 with the remaining two completed in 2011. These bridges will also improve the cocoa bean collection and transportation processes, helping to broaden the marketing opportunities for cocoa farmers.

aOver the long term, the bridges and wells constructed through this programme will also help to increase school enrolment rates for children in these areas,a said Lou©. aBridges will make it safer and easier for young children to travel to school, and access to clean water will improve the overall health of children in the area. The potential for increased farm incomes will also allow more families to afford to send their children to school.a

ADM grinds approximately 16 percent of the worlda™s cocoa crop. In C'te da™Ivoire, the company operates the UNICAO cocoa processing facility in Abidjan, two cocoa conditioning and storage facilities in Abidjan and one cocoa conditioning and storage facility San Pedro where beans are cleaned, checked for quality and prepared for export to ADMa™s cocoa processing facilities around the world.

These infrastructure projects in C'te da™Ivoire are being funded through ADM Cares, the companya™s corporate social investment program. ADM Cares strives to drive meaningful social, economic and environmental progress in communities where the company has a presence. Learn more about ADM Cares at [ www.adm.com/admcares ].

About OIC International

Opportunities Industrialization Centers International is a non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of low-income, disadvantaged individuals in developing countries. OIC International has earned a reputation for its unique approach to creating sustainable institutions operated by local citizens, and for implementing effective programs that help disadvantaged individuals, households and communities become more self-reliant.

About ADM

Every day, the 29,000 people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) turn crops into renewable products that meet the demands of a growing world. At more than 240 processing plants, we convert corn, oilseeds, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses. We operate the worlda™s premier crop origination and transportation network, connecting crops and markets in more than 60 countries. Our global headquarters is in Decatur, Illinois, and our net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, were $62 billion. For more information about our Company and our products, visit [ www.adm.com ].

Distributed by Beattie Communications on behalf of ADM