In the previous part of this series, I gave some basic information on what cocoa is. In this part I will be giving information on the ethics of producing cocoa. Because a lot of work is involved to produce cocoa, it is not easy to produce it cheaply. There are concerns that low market prices of cocoa can drive producers into poverty, and even cause some to resort to slave labour to make money.
A major issue people are becoming more aware of in cocoa production is human trafficking. Children are cheap labour. It is believed that children are sometimes kidnapped, sometimes sold by family members, and sometimes smuggled from nearby countries to work on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. These children are not given proper training to handle the dangerous work involved in processing cacao. (Climbing up trees and cutting fruit down with machetes.) When every company is trying to make their chocolate cheap, it can actually be hard for farmers not to resort to this kind of practice to make their business work. Some people dispute whether cocoa slaves actually still exist. You are free to make you own mind up. In the film The dark side of chocolate, Ali Lakiss, the owner of Saf-Cacao, one of Ghana's biggest cocoa exporters, said "There are no children in the plantations." He obviously has a lot to gain from people believing that. Journalists have filmed children working in cocoa farms. Some children do so part time and also go school. But from what I have seen, I think theirs enough evidence to believe children are being, or have been exploited in cocoa production, and I feel we, those who eat chocolate, should do something about it.
When we buy chocolate, some of the money that companies make will go toward making more chocolate, right? So if you buy chocolate, how can you make sure it doesn't come from these farms that are enslaving people?
I know you want me to tell you what brands to buy, but I can't. There are many different solutions
#1. Fair trading
Fair Trade and other similarly labeled products are purchased from the farmers at more than a minimum Fairtrade price. People believe buying Fairtrade certified chocolate, means there are no issues with the production of the chocolate. Unfortunately, this is not true. Fairtrade chocolate is usually purchased from a co-op where all farmers are paid (and sometimes contracted to) a price. Fair trade can improve the living conditions of people who grow cocoa. This can have positive effects farmers who do the right thing. On their employees, employees' families, and their communities. However, we are worried that some farmers will sell their cocoa at a fairtrade price, and still use slaves. Most of the time the organisations that certify cocoa cannot completely make sure slaves are not used.
#2 Boycotting Ivory Coast Cocoa.
Ghana and the Ivory Coast are the only places where people claim cocoa slavery is happening. Many people boycott cocoa from the Ivory Coast and Ghana. The Food Empowerment Project has produced a comprehensive list of cocoa brands that buy cocoa from other areas like south America rather than Ghana and the Ivory Coast. They only research vegan products, but have a long list regardless. If there is a company that is not on the list, you can sometimes find information on their website or through sending them an email asking them. While this does provide us with a way not to impact the West African cocoa slaves, boycotting a country is only a temporary solution. Many people in West Africa do rely on the chocolate industry for income. Also, some of the other countries we buy cocoa from could have problems with exploitation, just less reported. What we eventually need to do is to work with producers.
#3 Direct action to improve conditions
The more direct relationship a chocolate producer has with farmers and small co-operatives that have good relationships with farmers, the more control we can have over their practices. In the past, companies have signed famous agreements promising to stop slave labour in West African cocoa farms. So far, not enough has been done. When media attention dies down, it's forgotten about again. If you want to encourage companies you buy from to do more, please send them annoying letters and emails. Some groups are starting to do this well, and to make a difference in the lives of farming families, but many do not.
I believe it is your responsibility to research this for yourself. I have been researching for years for myself. I am passionate about encouraging other people to make good decisions, and although I think my opinion is clear, I am not telling anyone else what to think. Chose which way you are most comfortable buying. But please don't do nothing.
Also visit;
http://www.slavefreechocolate.org/index.html
A major issue people are becoming more aware of in cocoa production is human trafficking. Children are cheap labour. It is believed that children are sometimes kidnapped, sometimes sold by family members, and sometimes smuggled from nearby countries to work on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. These children are not given proper training to handle the dangerous work involved in processing cacao. (Climbing up trees and cutting fruit down with machetes.) When every company is trying to make their chocolate cheap, it can actually be hard for farmers not to resort to this kind of practice to make their business work. Some people dispute whether cocoa slaves actually still exist. You are free to make you own mind up. In the film The dark side of chocolate, Ali Lakiss, the owner of Saf-Cacao, one of Ghana's biggest cocoa exporters, said "There are no children in the plantations." He obviously has a lot to gain from people believing that. Journalists have filmed children working in cocoa farms. Some children do so part time and also go school. But from what I have seen, I think theirs enough evidence to believe children are being, or have been exploited in cocoa production, and I feel we, those who eat chocolate, should do something about it.
When we buy chocolate, some of the money that companies make will go toward making more chocolate, right? So if you buy chocolate, how can you make sure it doesn't come from these farms that are enslaving people?
I know you want me to tell you what brands to buy, but I can't. There are many different solutions
#1. Fair trading
Fair Trade and other similarly labeled products are purchased from the farmers at more than a minimum Fairtrade price. People believe buying Fairtrade certified chocolate, means there are no issues with the production of the chocolate. Unfortunately, this is not true. Fairtrade chocolate is usually purchased from a co-op where all farmers are paid (and sometimes contracted to) a price. Fair trade can improve the living conditions of people who grow cocoa. This can have positive effects farmers who do the right thing. On their employees, employees' families, and their communities. However, we are worried that some farmers will sell their cocoa at a fairtrade price, and still use slaves. Most of the time the organisations that certify cocoa cannot completely make sure slaves are not used.
#2 Boycotting Ivory Coast Cocoa.
Ghana and the Ivory Coast are the only places where people claim cocoa slavery is happening. Many people boycott cocoa from the Ivory Coast and Ghana. The Food Empowerment Project has produced a comprehensive list of cocoa brands that buy cocoa from other areas like south America rather than Ghana and the Ivory Coast. They only research vegan products, but have a long list regardless. If there is a company that is not on the list, you can sometimes find information on their website or through sending them an email asking them. While this does provide us with a way not to impact the West African cocoa slaves, boycotting a country is only a temporary solution. Many people in West Africa do rely on the chocolate industry for income. Also, some of the other countries we buy cocoa from could have problems with exploitation, just less reported. What we eventually need to do is to work with producers.
#3 Direct action to improve conditions
The more direct relationship a chocolate producer has with farmers and small co-operatives that have good relationships with farmers, the more control we can have over their practices. In the past, companies have signed famous agreements promising to stop slave labour in West African cocoa farms. So far, not enough has been done. When media attention dies down, it's forgotten about again. If you want to encourage companies you buy from to do more, please send them annoying letters and emails. Some groups are starting to do this well, and to make a difference in the lives of farming families, but many do not.
I believe it is your responsibility to research this for yourself. I have been researching for years for myself. I am passionate about encouraging other people to make good decisions, and although I think my opinion is clear, I am not telling anyone else what to think. Chose which way you are most comfortable buying. But please don't do nothing.
Also visit;
http://www.slavefreechocolate.org/index.html
