“Was there any chance of child labor being eradicated by 2005? No, never,” stated Peter McAllister who led the International Cocoa Initiative from 2003 to 2010. Almost 20 years ago, chocolate companies such as Hersheys, Mars, Nestle USA and even the Ivorian Government signed the Hark-Engel agreement which entailed that all companies would eradicate child labor within the cocoa industry by 2005. However, fifteen years later not only has this goal not been achieved, but now companies aim for a 70% reduction by 2020. This reduction will most likely not happen as well stated by industry officials. While much anger has been cast upon these companies for their negligence on child labor, the issue involves many factors that contribute to child labor outside of their control. 

 

The Ivory Coast provides approximately two-thirds of the world’s cocoa supply. According to a 2015 U.S Labor Department report, over two million children are engaged in dangerous labor in cocoa-growing areas. 66 percent of the Ivory Coast is illiterate and citizens lack electricity. The main issue that prevents itself comes from the influx of migrant children from poor neighboring countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso that seek work to provide for their families back home. While some come trafficked, many come willingly under the false impression they will earn enough money and also go to school. The Ivory Coast is seen as a land of better opportunities and even Mali, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast share an agreement on open borders. However, in reality, according to a local Ivorian farmer the bosses of the children receive $9 per week and the boys get around half of that. While he admitted this is a form of slavery, he had no choice and needed the extra help to support himself. These limitations that exist within the Ivory Coast lead to a multitude of factors contributing to child labor mainly caused by the never-ending cycle of poverty. The main attraction to work on farms is for the money, however neither farmers nor child laborers receive a way out of the vicious cycle of poverty in return.

 

Antonie Fountain the director of the Voice Network, a group who seeks to end child labor within the cocoa industry claimed, “The companies have always done just enough so that if there were any media attention, they could say, ‘Hey guys, this is what we’re doing,’” he later added, “How many fines did they face? How many prison sentences? None. There has been zero consequence.” While it may feel easy to point fingers at companies such as Hersheys, Nestle,etc., it is important to acknowledge their efforts and that this dilemma is not entirely their fault. 

Two years ago this platform became my school project on addressing a social issue, but this interest of mine has not faded and I continue to see how relevant this issue still is. It not only affects the futures of these child laborers and farmers, but everyone on this planet. While this issue at large may seem overwhelming to approach, I know that everyones’ simple contributions will make the difference and allow us to have a future that promotes sustainable farming, fair wages, and an end to the climate change struggle that we cannot seem to avoid. Solving poverty is an almost seemingly impossible issue to combat due to its vastness, however this issue stems from a lack of education. Often, impoverished children cannot afford to attend school and must help their families economically. They believe that leaving home and working on these cocoa farms will help their livelihoods- however just the opposite occurs. Farmers depend on them and make little money of their own, and children work in dangerous conditions with often no pay. Additionally, they do not attend school, and this cycle continues to repeat itself. 

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One cannot ignore how important the cocoa industry remains to many country’s economies such as Ivory Coast. According to the International Monetary Fund, in 2016 Ivory Coast (otherwise known as the Cote d’Ivoire) had the fastest growing economy in Africa due to political stability and exports such as cocoa. Cocoa accounts for 40% of their main exports and the government’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture where 68% of its citizens work. In the ivory coast, roughly 6 million people participate in the cocoa industry, and approximately 1 million of those are child laborers. While improving the sustainability of chocolate, if companies stopped buying chocolate from here, there would be a significant drop in the economy and many people would be plugged into more poverty than they currently are in. A key goal of mine is to discover ways to help local farmers become more successful and that fair trade chocolate can help both companies and these exporting countries thrive. If children can help their economy by working on cocoa farms in better conditions while attending school regularly, future generations can help the Ivory Coast improve their agricultural practices and use their education to rise above poverty.

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Moreover, improving cocoa farming practices would not only allow for fair trade chocolate and high wages but it would advocate for becoming more environmentally friendly. The world’s largest cocoa producers face yet another negative impact as they cut down trees to build farms, leading to mass deforestation. Some environmental campaigners believe that if this deforestation continues the Ivory coast risks losing all of its forests by 2034! Nonetheless, not all hope is lost. Famous companies such as Mars, Hersheys and Barry Callebaut have pledged to eliminate their bean sourcing from protected forests. Additionally, Kristy Leissle, a founder of the Cocoapreneurship Institute of Ghana states that cocoa “Cacao, a shade-tolerant plant, can be grown under the forest canopy without drastic clearing. And when grown in a sustainable manner, it can have a low carbon footprint” (Clark, New York Times). 

In essence, this issue is far from being solved, yet many companies and activists have taken the time to begin promoting sustainable practices that help children and the environment. Taking small yet specific measures could bring the most amount of impact into a complex problem. Everyone can play a part in this matter regardless of age or occupation and new actions taken by people should serve as an incentive to spread awareness and gain more involvement. I believe I have a responsibility to spread awareness through my website where I share my perspectives and have and will continue to reach out to professionals to gain their valuable insight. There are three main areas where I plan to take action to combat child labor in the cocoa industry: 

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1. Ensuring more children in these areas have access to an education 

2. Advocating for programs that adopt free trade practices 

3. Helping end climate change through the cocoa industry

 

Thank you for reading, and for your support.