Top cocoa producers Ivory Coast and Ghana said on Wednesday that chocolate makers would continue for now to be allowed to run sustainability schemes in their countries, linking them to the success of a program to ease pervasive farmer poverty.
The future of the schemes had appeared to be in jeopardy when the two nations said earlier this month they would be re-examined as chocolate makers had been slow to pay living income differential (LID) for bean purchases.
In a bid to ease pervasive farmer poverty, the West African neighbors, which together produce more than 60% of the world’s cocoa, introduced the $400 LID in July on all cocoa sales for the 2020/21 season.
A joint statement by the Ivory Coast’s Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) and Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) said that while the LID and the sustainability programs could co-exist and complement each other, they would monitor how programs were being implemented “to decide on them going forward”.
Below is the full statement:
Le Conseil du Café Cacao and Ghana Cocoa Board, representing Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, after engagement with industry players in the cocoa value Chain on the continuous implementation of sustainability programmes, hereby wish to communicate as follows:
1. The governments and industry agree that without an improved cocoa income there cannot be a sustainable cocoa industry.
2. The Industry clearly indicates that it is implementing the LID introduced in July for the 2020-21 season as part of the mutual objective to raise farmer income. They are taking the necessary actions towards its full and immediate implementation.
3. We hereby reaffirm our position that LID and sustainability programmes can operate together as the two complement each other in ensuring the sustainability of the industry and the achievement of the SDGs We therefore announce that the LID and the sustainability programmes would co-exist and complement each other.
The implementation of sustainability and certification programmes shall therefore continue in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. We shall monitor and evaluate the complementary co-existence of the LID and sustainability programmes being implemented in our respective countries to decide on them, going forward.
We reaffirm our commitment to eradicating Child Labour and deforestation in cocoa and will collaborate with all stakeholders to promote and sustain the cocoa industry.
KONE BRAHIMA YVES
DIRECTEUR GENERAL
LE CONSEIL DU CAFE-CACAO
HON JOSEPH BOAHEN AIDOO
CHIEF EXECUTIVE GHANA COCOA BOARD
Source: Daily Mail GH
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