Magne Akoua, a 65-year-old cacao farmer in Aboude, Ivory Coast, starts his day early, meticulously tending to the cacao trees on his family land. The cacao industry in Ivory Coast is facing challenges, with recent poor harvests due to the effects of the El Nino weather pattern and climate change. Akoua explains the difficulties of working with cacao, as it requires a delicate balance of rainfall and heat to thrive.
Farmers like Akoua are struggling to make ends meet, as production shortfalls lead to lower incomes while chocolate prices soar. Christian Kouassi, another farmer in Aboude, highlights the inequality in the market and advocates for farmers to have a more active role in the sector’s value chain. The government of Ivory Coast recently increased the price for cacao beans in an effort to support farmers, but more needs to be done to ensure their livelihoods are secure.
The Coffee-Cocoa Council plays a critical role in regulating cocoa prices in Ivory Coast, with a stabilisation system in place to guarantee a set income for producers. Souleymane Fofana, an exporter and mill operator, acknowledges the complexities of the cacao industry, emphasizing the need for a fairer distribution of profits to benefit all stakeholders. However, he also recognizes the challenges of competing with international companies in the global chocolate market.
The global chocolate market is dominated by companies like Mars Wrigley Confectionery and Ferrero Group, while local Ivorian chocolatiers struggle to compete. Fofana suggests expanding into new markets to process and transform cacao beans, such as countries in the MENA region. He questions the role of the Federation of Commerce of Cacao, which he believes limits business opportunities for Ivorian exporters by requiring registration with its headquarters in London.
While Akoua and his family continue to farm cacao in Aboude, they do not consume chocolate themselves, as they cannot justify spending their hard-earned income on a luxury item. Akoua emphasizes the importance of ensuring that farmers in Ivory Coast benefit from the profits generated by multinational chocolate companies that rely on Ivorian cacao. Ultimately, he hopes for a fairer distribution of wealth in the cacao industry so that farmers like him can reap the benefits of their hard work.
