Cocoa Farmers Demand Action from COCOBOD Over Deforestation, Child Labor, and Living Allowances

Some cocoa farmers in Ghana have formally complained to COCOBOD, urging immediate action on persistent issues such as deforestation, child labor, unsafe pesticide use, and the crucial matter of living allowances.

This complaint aims to hold COCOBOD accountable by utilizing a grievance mechanism established as part of a $600 million loan agreement with the African Development Bank in 2019.

The group of 30 farmers has expressed concern that, despite COCOBOD’s regulatory oversight, these challenges have plagued the cocoa sector for over a decade.

The farmers contend that these ongoing problems adversely affect their welfare and that of their families, claiming that COCOBOD has failed to adequately monitor or manage the situation within the community.

Phidelia Gameli, one of the farmers, stressed the importance of prioritizing farmer welfare: “Improving the welfare of cocoa farmers should be at the forefront of COCOBOD’s responsibilities,” she stated in an interview with Citi Business News.

This collective effort is being supported by the University of Ghana School of Law, the non-profit organization Civic Response, and the Corporate Accountability Lab based in Chicago.

Together, they aim to enhance accountability within COCOBOD and improve conditions in Ghana’s cocoa industry.

The complaint highlights that despite COCOBOD’s initiatives to improve environmental sustainability and social well-being, significant issues persist.

These include deforestation, a slow transition to agroforestry, excessive use of harmful pesticides, and the prevalence of child labor.

The document notes that these challenges are partly due to opaque supply chains and low prices paid for cocoa by companies.

Additionally, despite efforts by COCOBOD and other governmental bodies to combat cocoa smuggling, progress has been minimal.

Ghana reportedly lost approximately 120,000 metric tons of cocoa beans to smuggling between 2022 and 2023, posing a severe threat to the country’s cocoa industry, which is a vital component of the national economy.

The smuggling issue, exacerbated by attractive prices in neighboring countries, has worsened in recent years.

In 2018, COCOBOD implemented an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), which includes a grievance and redress mechanism to identify and address environmental, social, health, and safety risks in the cocoa sector. This system applies to COCOBOD, its subsidiaries, and all associated parties involved in its operations.