What’s the solution to the current imbalance between farmers and large corporations in the cocoa supply chain?
Millions of cocoa farmers are underpaid for their crop and it’s brought by companies who make millions in profit each year. And we don’t think that’s fair.
The issues within the cocoa supply chain have been around for years and we aren’t much closer to fixing the problems. But it’s not a one fix stop.
Paying farmers more for their cocoa is probably the best place to start. And we also need to demand full transparency of where companies get their cocoa from. That way people can trace back the cocoa to the farms and ensure that they are being paid a living wage.
So many big companies can’t trace all of their cocoa and this is where the problem starts. And they know the issues, they have the money to fix it, yet it’s taking them over 20 years to resolve these issues.
In 2001 lots of big chocolate makers signed the Harkin Engle agreement to eradicate child labour by 2005. And it’s still a massive issue 20 years later.
To solve the massive issues surround cocoa we believe it needs to be a multinational, joint governmental and private companies joining together.
Infrastructure such as roads, public transport and equal eduction opportunities for all children (and adults who want to improve their education) need to be looked at in detail and worked on by local government, national government and the companies who have profited for too long off the back of cocoa farmers.
What can you do? Buy from companies who are transparent about where all of their cocoa comes from, vote with your wallet and demand full transparency from the big companies.