Promoting fairer cocoa value chains through collaborative action

Context

Cocoa demand is increasing around the world, exerting pressure on actors involved in the production processes. Deforestation, work analogous to slavery and child labour, low productivity, and low income are related problems. The introduction of environmental and social justice in cocoa production is necessary to make supply chains fairer.

Objective

Smallholder producers are benefitting from fairer conditions along the cocoa supply chain.

Approach

The project seeks to promote environmental and social justice to create the conditions for fair supply chains. It also encourages smallholders to diversify their production, contributes to improving existing agroforestry systems and supports strategies to increase family incomes. More participation of young people and women in particular aims to generate more inclusive employment scenarios.

It carries out the following activities in pursuit of these goals:

• Evaluating the administrative, financial and operational management capabilities in three cooperatives in order to devise income generation opportunities for women and young people.
• Providing training and assistance in areas relevant to professionalising production and business operations, including management, finance and accounting, human resources and work security, social organisation and good governance.
• Training technicians and members of the three selected cooperatives in climate-smart agriculture, with shaded agroforestry systems (including timber, nuts and fruits).
• Developing strategies to intensify and maintain productivity in the traditional cultivation of cabrucas in forests, and to improve economic planning with a focus on the financial, social and environmental benefits of crop and market diversification.

Last update: July 2023