tug-of-war

Côte d’Ivoire – Ghana: Farmers vs multinationals in cocoa war

In depth
This article is part of the dossier: Cocoa War: Farmers vs multinationals

By Estelle Maussion
Posted on Wednesday, 11 January 2023 09:51, updated on Tuesday, 17 January 2023 15:55

As the world's largest and second-largest suppliers of cocoa beans, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana have started a tug-of-war with the giants of the chocolate industry to obtain better remuneration for their cocoa farmers. It is likely to be a long battle.

This is part 1 of a 5-part series

Behind the sweetness associated with chocolate lies the bitterness of the battle waged over cocoa.

Cultivated in the countries of the South, mainly in West Africa as well as in Latin and South America, the beans of this precious brown gold are mainly consumed in the North, on the European, American and Asian markets.

READ MORE Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana : Will AfCFTA offer cocoa farmers a solution?

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For François Ruf, a researcher and economist, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana must control their bean production if they are to have any chance of winning their battle with the industry over growers' wages.

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Côte d’Ivoire – Ghana: Why cocoa farmers remain brown gold’s poor relation

Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are trying to use their position as major players in the world cocoa market to obtain better remuneration for their farmers. It’s a legitimate, but uphill battle. Here's a visual overview of the situation.

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