Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire Must Act or Watch the Cocoa Industry Fade: An Editorial

A recent warning from the European Union to two of Africa’s cocoa producing giants, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, is clear: adapt the cocoa sector now — or risk losing access to the world’s largest chocolate market.

The recent push from EU and French development partners comes after five years of research under the Cocoa4Future initiative, which uncovered uncomfortable truths: current cocoa farming practices in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are undermining both the land and the long-term security of the industry. The urgency is not a threat, it is a wake-up call.

Cocoa’s Global Weight — And Its Environmental Cost

Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire together account for roughly two-thirds of the world’s cocoa supply.
That dominance gives them enormous influence. But it also carries massive responsibility.

Deforestation linked to cocoa cultivation has already devastated vast tracts of primary rainforest. Studies highlight cocoa as a key driver behind up to 37% of forest loss in protected areas in Côte d’Ivoire and more than 13% in Ghana.

Between 2001 and 2015, cocoa-related deforestation alone contributed to nearly one-third of Ghana’s and a quarter of Côte d’Ivoire’s forest losses.

As global demand for chocolate rises, so do the numbers: more clearing, older soils, stressed ecosystems. Add to that the emerging threats of climate change — droughts, unpredictable weather — and the result becomes stark: the industry feeding the world now undermines its own future.

The EU Isn’t Punishing — It’s Protecting Its Market

Starting in late 2025, the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will require companies importing cocoa (and other commodities) into EU markets to prove their supply chains are “deforestation-free, legally sourced, and fully traceable.”

In effect, this law is not about punishing West African producers — it is about protecting European businesses and consumers who demand deforestation-free chocolate and ethically sourced goods. As such, the pressure is real and the deadline inescapable.

Even before EUDR formally activates, major buyers have begun to shift their sourcing practices. Some smaller farms and exporters already fear exclusion.

Reforms Are Possible — But They Must Be Structural

The good news: reform is not a fantasy. The research presented at the Cocoa4Future workshop offers a roadmap grounded in reality. Key recommendations include:

• Agroforestry adoption: shifting away from low- or no-shade monocultures to shade-tree systems that preserve soil, biodiversity, and long-term yield stability.
• Disease management: scaling up production of disease-resistant seedlings (especially to fight Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease) and strengthening early-detection training.
• Strengthening farmer support: improved access to affordable credit, agricultural inputs, diversified buyer networks, and stronger cooperatives to give farmers better bargaining power.
• Clear land and tree-tenure laws: so farmers who plant shade trees or rehabilitate land can benefit long-term — rather than facing loss of rights.
• Traceability and certification: invest in national traceability systems and support smallholders to meet sustainability standards required under EU-linked supply chains.

These are not cosmetic fixes. They require political will, public investment, and cooperation between governments, farmers, industry players, and international development partners.

The True Cost of Inaction

Failing to act is not merely an environmental failure — it is an economic risk. The world is watching. European buyers, global consumers, regulators — all are moving toward sustainability and transparency.

If Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire lag, they risk losing more than market share. They could lose credibility, investment, and the social license that their generations of smallholder farmers depend on. Governments may be forced to react under crisis conditions — leading to even harsher consequences for rural livelihoods.

Moreover, continuing unsustainable cocoa farming accelerates forest loss, exacerbates climate change, depletes soil fertility, and threatens biodiversity. That damage is often irreversible. Once forest is gone, it rarely returns — and with it goes ecosystem services: clean water, stable climate, resilient soils.

For the Global Community: This Isn’t Just Cocoa. It’s Climate Justice and Supply-Chain Integrity

For consumers in New York, London, Paris, or Tokyo — this matters. Every chocolate bar, cocoa drink, or dessert sold in the global supply chain carries a footprint. As the world confronts climate change, biodiversity loss, and supply-chain ethics, cocoa stands at a crossroads.

Supporting sustainable and ethical cocoa is more than a consumer choice. It is a statement: that the love of chocolate does not come at the price of destroyed forests, exploited labor, or environmental collapse.

For the governments of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, the choice is clear: act with urgency now — or become casualties of a shifting global standard they once defined. The fate of the industry, the environment, and millions of farming families hangs in the balance.

They have the data. They have the roadmap. Now they need the courage to act.