Discussion topic: Climate change and environmental degradation (subject: cocoa farming)
For many years, deforestation has been attributed to smallholder and family cocoa farming. This practice continues to increase greenhouse gas emissions and has a hugely negative impact on biodiversity, soil fertility, water quality and quantity. It affects local rainfall and threatens farmer livelihoods. Many areas in West Africa have observed a substantial decrease in cocoa production due to climate change (e.g. changing rainfall patterns and amounts, increasing temperatures). Under these circumstances and because of economic necessity, a growing number of children are pushed into child labour to act as a “buffer” against these shocks. With school closures and farmers’ disrupted livelihoods, the COVID-19 pandemic is putting them at greater risk.
Through public-private partnerships, some promising actions are being implemented on the ground to halt cocoa-related deforestation in West Africa and other regions such as Central America. Agricultural stakeholders such as farmers’ organizations and cooperatives and their communities should not be left behind. They need to be brought at the forefront and be fully capacitated to address these critical issues in an integrated manner and in collaboration with governments and companies in the cocoa and chocolate business. Agroforestry, labour-saving technology, good agricultural practices, livelihood-enhancing schemes, skills development for youth and migrant workers, women’s empowerment, community awareness raising and action planning, and traceability are among the action areas that could make a difference in the context of a collaborative approach. Until solid monitoring mechanism systems are in place, it will be also difficult to assess whether these critical issues of forest protection and child labour elimination are effectively addressed.
Ms. Lalaina Razafindrakoto