Cocoa from Côte d'Ivoire – a valuable commodity for farmers and the cocoa industry

Côte d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer of cocoa, accounting for over 40 percent of global cocoa production. The crop is therefore not only a major commodity for Côte d'Ivoire's economy but also an important raw material for the cocoa and chocolate industries worldwide.

The majority of cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire are smaller than 3 hectares. Farmers face a number of constraints such as poor infrastructure, weak organisations, low productivity, pests and diseases of their plants, inadequately processed cocoa beans, very limited access to loans and financial resources as well as deficient marketing capabilities and arrangements.

In addition, the growing population density, the associated deforestation and intensive soil cultivation are harmful to the environment and may even lead to negative climatic changes such as shorter duration of the rainy season and reduced rainfall. These negative impacts in turn reduce cocoa yields and production, leading to a drop in farmers' income.

Finding sustainable solutions to these challenges for cocoa farmers and the country as a whole calls for a comprehensive, balanced approach. One promising approach is the three-year PPDC Project – Market-Oriented Promotion of Certified Sustainable Cocoa Production.