Why can’t industry trace each cocoa bean – to a farm that grows cocoa responsibly?
The length and complexity of the cocoa supply chain in West Africa, including the large numbers of middle men involved in moving more than two million metric tons of cocoa from individual farms to port, makes credible traceability of every kilogram of cocoa produced in the region a physical impossibility. Further complicating this approach is the practice of combining beans from different farms – and entire villages – in the early stages of the supply chain. Why can’t the industry simply “force” West African governments to ensure that the worst forms of child labor are not taking place on cocoa farms? The activities of children on family cocoa farms in West Africa are often rooted in cultural practices and traditions at the village and family levels. They also reflect the economic and social challenges faced by these countries and their rural communities. Lack of infrastructure and available investment funds, limited availability of schooling and meaningful vocational training, shortag
