Browsing: International Cocoa Organization

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From cocoa bean to desert wasteland: The environmental toll of chocolate production in Africa

Industry and Trade
  • Bittersweet consequences. Global chocolate value chains are fueling desertification across West Africa, a new report says. 
  • As chocolate demand soars, Côte d'Ivoire, the world’s largest producer of cocoa beans is paying a huge price with 80 percent of its forest cover lost.
  • Corruption fueling illegal logging and deforestation of rainforests for cocoa farms

The raw material needed to make chocolate is cocoa beans, but West Africa, which produces 40 percent of the world's produce, is destroying its rainforests at an unprecedented pace to feed global demand.

Already, Côte d'Ivoire, the world’s largest producer of cocoa beans has lost 80 percent of its forest cover over in just sic decades, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports.

FAO's Transparency, Traceability and Deforestation survey in the Ivorian cocoa supply belt shows that the unmonitored value chain of chocolate is leaving populations vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change.

Chocolate demand rising globally

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Top cocoa producers, Ghana and Ivory Coast, have boycotted a major industry meeting that was to be held in Brussels. Photo/Gettyimages

Lessons for Africa in Brussels cocoa boycott

Industry and Trade

The World Cocoa Conference (WCC) was created back in 2012 by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) and was launched in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

According to the WCC organizers, “the event is held every two years to assess the status of the world cocoa economy, review current challenges and agree on measures to address these issues.”

This single event brings together the most diverse range of decision-makers and other stakeholders in the cocoa and chocolate value chain, from all over the world.

The WCC, provides a unique opportunity to deliberate the industry challenges and he new opportunities that are arising every year. The WCC is also a platform to collect vital industry information as well as for stakeholders to network.…