What is the cocoa and chocolate industry doing to address the issue?
The cocoa and chocolate industry will not be able to end poverty in Africa. However, for nearly a decade, leading companies in the chocolate and cocoa sector, including Barry Callebaut, have supported programs that aim at improving the social conditions of the about 2 million cocoa farmers and their families in cocoa communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. As we cannot do this alone we work with governments, donor agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders. Collectively we have spent more than USD 75 million and are supporting more than 40 programs throughout West Africa. We would like to give you an overview of the most important industry programs: • International Cocoa Initiative (ICI). Together with other cocoa and chocolate companies, NGOs and the governments of West Africa, we signed the Harkin-Engel Protocol and thereby underscored our commitment to work to eradicate the worst forms of child labor in the cocoa sector. A key partner in this effort is the International Cocoa Initiative
