Securing Organic Cocoa Supply Chains
What is the main objective of the project?
The project examines how new EU rules on organic farming and deforestation are making it harder for smallholder cocoa farmers to keep their organic and Fairtrade certification. Many producer groups in Latin America and Africa are struggling with the added costs and paperwork. The project studies these effects and develops practical solutions to help secure a stable supply of Fairtrade organic cocoa for the future.
How will the project contribute to sustainable cocoa production?
By helping smallholder cocoa producers keep pace with stricter EU organic and deforestation rules, the project protects long-term access to organic and Fairtrade markets. This supports full traceability of cocoa from farm to chocolate bar, rather than mixing certified and uncertified beans. It also generates fair, up-to-date cost data that can inform better pricing for farmers and more realistic sourcing decisions by Swiss chocolate companies.
What steps are taken during the project?
The project combines a global survey of cocoa producer organisations, expert interviews, and in-depth country studies in Peru, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. It analyses production and trade data, calculates the real costs of complying with the new EU rules, and identifies the main obstacles smallholders face.
The findings will be published in a report, in English and Spanish, with practical recommendations for producers, buyers and policymakers.
Where do you see the greatest potential for other stakeholders in the cocoa sector and beyond to learn from the outcomes of this project?
The project's approach can be applied well beyond cocoa. Its survey tools and cost-analysis methods are relevant to other smallholder-based organic crops, especially coffee, which faces similar regulatory pressures.
The evidence generated can also inform EU policy discussions on simplifying organic rules and offer Swiss chocolate companies facing similar sourcing risks a clearer picture of how to secure a sustainable organic cocoa supply.
Organisations involved
