Sustainable Cocoa Initiative

FAO and the European Union are working to support cocoa-producing countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon) to improve the long-term economic, social and environmental sustainability of cocoa value chains.

What’s at stake

Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the world’s largest exporters of cocoa. Together with Cameroon, their combined exports account for nearly two-thirds of global exports, with the European Union among the top consumers.

Millions of small-scale farmers in the three countries rely on cocoa for their livelihoods. Yet many still live below the poverty line.

The Global Sustainable Cocoa Initiative began in response to the 2019 decision by Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to introduce a living income differential for cocoa farmers. It is in line with new European Union legislation to ensure only socially and environmentally sustainable goods enter the European Union market. The initiative addresses challenges such as low farmer incomes, deforestation and child labour.

At a glance

At global level, FAO has leveraged its technical expertise to provide strategic policy support to cocoa talks in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
Through the initiative, FAO has undertaken various studies on the cocoa-chocolate value chain, including analysis of costs and margins of chocolate value chains in France and Germany.
At regional level, FAO is providing long-term technical assistance to the Secretariat of the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative on implementation of the living income differential policy in the two countries.
FAO is also supporting countries at national level:
- In Cameroon, national cocoa talks have examined issues related to price and market dynamics, transparency, traceability and sustainable production systems.
- In Côte d’Ivoire, FAO has provided technical support to strengthen the national forest monitoring and deforestation early warning system, and map land cover and land use.
- In Ghana, FAO is assisting the Ghana Cocoa Board in rolling out a national traceability system (the Cocoa Management System) to trace cocoa from farm to point of shipment. It is also helping implement a multistakeholder platform (the Ghana Cocoa Monitor) to coordinate and track cocoa sector programmes in the country.