Africa: Africa's Top Cocoa Producers Pledge Fairer Prices for Farmers

What the report says

Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, the two largest cocoa producers in the world, have agreed to work more closely on cocoa pricing, local processing, environmental protection and scientific research. The joint declaration was signed at a high-level summit in Abidjan between Presidents John Dramani Mahama and Alassane Ouattara, according to RFI, which AllAfrica distributed. The move is aimed at improving earnings for cocoa farmers and strengthening the two countries’ influence in the global cocoa trade.

The article says the pair produce about 60% of the world’s cocoa, giving their cooperation significant weight for international buyers and African exporters. Under the agreement, they plan to expand the Cocoa Alliance by inviting other producing countries to join, and to create a common framework for producer prices backed by stronger market intelligence. The leaders also reiterated their goal of shifting more value-added work into Africa by processing more cocoa locally rather than exporting only raw beans.

Environmental concerns were another major focus. The governments said they want coordinated action against illegal mining, which threatens farmland and water sources, and they also discussed climate-change impacts on cocoa production. In addition, the two countries pledged deeper scientific cooperation to address cocoa swollen shoot virus disease and other pests, while supporting traceability and sustainability through existing regional cocoa initiatives.

For farmers, the agreement matters because it could help address long-standing complaints about weak prices and limited benefits from cocoa sales. The article notes that implementation will be closely watched by producers in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.