Commentary: Cocoa Prices Skyrocket, But Farmers Left Behind

Cocoa prices have reached record highs due to severe supply shortages globally. The worsening impact of climate change, plant diseases, and socioeconomic challenges faced by cocoa-producing countries have all played a role. Smallholder farmers in West Africa, who supply around 70% of the world's cocoa, bear the brunt of these challenges despite being crucial players in the industry. 

• "Smallholder cocoa farmers are the backbone of the chocolate industry, yet they remain at the losing end of the supply chain. Around two-thirds of cocoa farmers earn less than $2 a day, making it not only challenging for them to provide for their families but also jeopardizing the future of cocoa production." 
• "Climate change and El Niño are devastating cocoa harvests. Hotter temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and more frequent droughts shrink cocoa yields. On top of that, diseases like black pod and swollen shoot are spreading. The production drop, increased fertilizer and equipment costs, and booming chocolate demand are causing cocoa prices to rise sharply today." 
• "All of this leaves cocoa farmers with tough decisions. They may either encroach on protected forests for fertile land-which further worsens existing environmental degradation-or abandon cocoa cultivation altogether." 

• "Companies buying cocoa have a unique opportunity and responsibility to improve cocoa farmers' livelihoods. This means not only paying better prices for their crops, but also investing alongside them to implement more sustainable practices that reduce risks in cocoa farming." 
• "Better farming techniques, like regenerative agriculture, can help farmers improve soil health and productivity, while also expanding their sources of income-ultimately making them more resilient to the impacts of climate change." 
• "We encourage chocolate lovers to choose more sustainable products. Consumers play a vital role in helping tackle the cocoa crisis by backing brands that pay cocoa farmers prices that allow a decent standard of living and help cocoa farmers adopt more sustainable and regenerative practices. Every purchase they make contributes to shaping the world they want to see."