COFAAA requires uniform cocoa costs amid losses

The President of the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Affiliation of Africa, Adeola Adegoke, has referred to as for a harmonised cocoa pricing mannequin throughout African markets, warning that current pricing frameworks are failing to ship significant advantages to farmers regardless of their authentic intent.

Adegoke, in an open letter to cocoa farmers throughout the continent, lamented that producers proceed to face declining incomes and market uncertainties, even after a historic value rally in 2024.

He mentioned, “We perceive that cocoa farmers are at present going by way of a tough time because of the downturn in cocoa costs over the previous yr. No origin nations in Africa are at present immune from this horrible state of affairs, which has negatively impacted the great enthusiasm exhibited by all of us through the cocoa value increase in 2024.”

The COFAAA president famous that whereas governments launched pricing fashions corresponding to regulated and semi-regulated methods to defend farmers from volatility, the mechanisms haven’t achieved their supposed outcomes.

He acknowledged, “At COFAAA, we discover it regarding that the present pricing fashions don’t appear to be delivering the supposed advantages for cocoa farmers. These methods had been designed to assist stabilise costs throughout cocoa-producing nations, but in apply, costs have been shortly adjusted to match worldwide market fluctuations.”

Adegoke added that the state of affairs has eroded the anticipated stability such insurance policies had been meant to ensure, calling for a continent-wide rethink of cocoa pricing buildings.

He additional raised considerations in regards to the disconnect between the worldwide chocolate market and the welfare of African farmers, stressing that producers proceed to grapple with structural challenges regardless of underpinning world provide.

He mentioned, “World chocolate consumption has lengthy been sustained by the exhausting work of African cocoa farmers, lots of whom proceed to face severe challenges, together with low incomes, youngster labour dangers, restricted entry to training, poor infrastructure, insufficient healthcare and rising safety considerations corresponding to unlawful mining.”

The COFAAA president questioned the sustainability of present pricing interventions, together with the Dwelling Revenue Differential launched by Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

He mentioned, “It’s regarding to see that over the previous yr, regardless of the sharp downturn in cocoa costs, the affect of the Dwelling Revenue Differential has not been as robust as many had hoped.”

Adegoke, nevertheless, acknowledged the initiative as a step in the fitting path, including that it requires additional readability and analysis to find out its long-term viability.

He mentioned, “We respectfully encourage the Conseil du Café-Cacao, Ghana COCOBOD and the Ivory Coast, Ghana Cocoa Initiative to supply additional readability on the present standing and future path of the LID.”

To handle the challenges, COFAAA has inaugurated a World Members Meeting and Empowerment Discussion board to develop a unified African place on cocoa pricing and farmer welfare.

Adegoke mentioned the discussion board would appraise present market developments and suggest options, noting that Africa produces about 70 per cent of worldwide cocoa however earns lower than six per cent of the over $147bn world chocolate market.

He mentioned the initiative would additionally discover measures to help farmers with inputs and security nets to cushion the affect of falling costs throughout producing nations.

Adegoke famous, “COFAAA as an organisation representing the producers within the continent has arrange a COFAAA World Members Meeting and Empowerment Discussion board to appraise the present improvement because it impacts us as a continent and give you a place.”

He disclosed that the discussion board would come with about 20 farmers per nation, with participation from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda and Sierra Leone, alongside expert-led subcommittees.

Adegoke added that public discourse would start on 21 March 2026, through a digital session to allow wider participation amongst stakeholders.

He mentioned, “We can not proceed doing the identical issues in the identical manner in Africa and count on a distinct end result.”