Chocoa’s sustainable cocoa conference places a firm spotlight on the urgent plight of ‘invisible farmers’
pic: Koa
In the wake of what proved a dynamic double act of ISM and ProSweets, Chocoa’s sustainable cocoa conference followed swiftly on its heels for some highly thought provoking sessions in Amsterdam last week.
Among the most impactful of presentations for the Sustainable Cocoa Conference were a group of sessions dedicated to what was termed as ‘the invisible farmer,’ which served to underline how vital those very agricultural workers are within confectionery, snacks and wider food supply chains. As is all too common knowledge, they receive nowhere near what they deserve in terms of their earnings, which are in many instances well under $2 per day, below globally recognised definitions of poverty.
One of the most striking presentations (among many across its two days that will be explored in a subsequent edition of our title), came from Cedric van Cutsem of Mondelez International, who addressed the title of the panel discussion – ‘Are companies ready to act collectively.’ The senior sector specialist turned this around, noting that companies have been making efforts to do so for some significant time. He responded that the question should really be, is the whole of the industry ready to act together – for it is only when all stakeholders are considered and supported that long-term aspirations for change can be attained.
He acknowledged that while he is proud of the work conducted by the company’s Cocoa Life, he noted that there was more to be achieved from itself and other leading companies, but as with other panellists, it was clear he felt frustration at the present stark situation, with the cocoa sector facing crisis amid supply deficits, crop disease, and battles to drive down child labour amid endemic poverty, and long-term impact on landscapes that has affected yields and working conditions.
That is before you even touch other broader supply chain challenges that have meant that conditions for farmers on a broader scale required much improvement for agricultural communities to truly thrive in supplying the confectionery trade.
Clearly, the subject of the right pathway to finally achieving major breakthroughs on these issues remains a highly emotive issue, and one that has been covered by a number of national media outlets. Wider mainstream media has increasingly reflected consumers growing awareness of sustainable and ethical supply issues that has led to impactful reports such as the relatively recent documentary exposing some of the ongoing notable problems amid Cadbury’s operations under Cocoa Life in West Africa in terms of monitoring farming operations.
Unless the underlying cycle of poverty is broken through truly collective action – that must include major investment from across the board – companies, governments (and through consumers paying more for products), into backing resource-starved regions such as Ghana and Ivory Coast. Without such clear tangible fiscal and practical interventions that will hopefully be fostered by incoming EUDR mandatory regulations, then achieving sustainability within cocoa will remain a distant vision and may well cease to function as we know it unless major remedies are brought forward sooner rather than later.
Neill Barston, editor, Confectionery Production
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