Chocolate/cocoa industry provides progress report on responsible cocoa farming
Industry Firmly Committed to "Protocol": Will Meet Deadlines
WASHINGTON, DC, USA (February 14, 2005) - Efforts are moving ahead to ensure cocoa is grown responsibly,
including completing development of "certification" standards for cocoa farming labor practices.
In late 2001, representatives from the global chocolate/cocoa industry signed the "Protocol" agreement,
developed in partnership with U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and U.S. Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY), to
address instances of abusive child labor practices on cocoa farms in West Africa.
To date, the industry has met every deadline established under the Protocol, and will continue to do so.
The industry is committed on a long-term basis, beyond the Protocol, to responsible cocoa farming.
The industry will complete development of effective, credible standards of certification for cocoa farming
by July 1, 2005 - as required by the Protocol.
These standards will form the basis for expanded farm labor monitoring and independent verification across
the West African cocoa region during the 2005/2006 crop harvest, with the first certification report issued in
early 2006.
Certification will tie together programs to help cocoa farming families; cocoa farm labor monitoring, and
corrective actions whenever problems are uncovered. It will be accompanied by an independent, third-party verification
of the entire process. Industry representatives are working with the International Labour Organization (ILO), NGOs,
organized labor and West African governments on the individual elements that will make up the certification system.
Together, these elements will both drive and measure improvements in cocoa farming labor practices.
More importantly, the industry is working with its partners in areas that go beyond the Protocol to help children and
families on cocoa farms. These efforts will form the basis for meaningful, long-term improvements in social and economic
conditions, long after the Protocol timetable expires.
"While independent surveys conducted in 2002 found the vast majority of farmers to be farming cocoa responsibly, it remains
critically important that we address any instances of abusive child or forced labor," said Lynn Bragg, president of the Chocolate
Manufacturers Association.
"Equally important, industry remains committed to driving meaningful, positive change in the cocoa growing regions of West
Africa -- bringing improved incomes, strengthened communities, improved access to vocational education and farming assistance to
thousands of small farming families."
Among the recent developments:
- A large-scale test of a cocoa farm labor monitoring program is underway in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. A
cornerstone of certification, the labor monitoring program will collect reliable data on labor practices and related issues at
the farm level.
Developed under the direction of the ILO, the monitoring test is underway in five districts in the Upper East, Ashanti and Western
Regions of Ghana and the Oume region of the Ivory Coast. Local NGOs and community groups are conducting the monitoring, with visits to
hundreds of cocoa farms to observe and collect information on labor practices. The test will demonstrate the ability to conduct statistically
valid social monitoring in a rural, remote environment.
- A similar test of an independent "verification" of the certification process is planned for the upcoming mid-crop
cocoa harvest (May, 2005). Under the cocoa certification system, an independent verification body, not associated with the industry or West
African governments, will carefully review the monitoring program, its methodology and results.
Representatives from the National Consumers League and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco
and Allied Workers Associations (IUF) are leading development and testing of the verification component.
- The joint foundation established by industry and non-industry stakeholders, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI),
is moving forward with a program of on-the-ground activities in West Africa to address child and forced labor issues. Established under the
Protocol, the ICI was formed to act as a catalyst for efforts to ensure cocoa is grown responsibly.
- The ILO-directed program to identity and help at-risk children on cocoa farms is up-and-running in cocoa farming communities in West Africa.
WACAP (West Africa Commercial Agriculture Program to Combat Hazardous and Exploitive Child Labor) has identified communities in the Ivory Coast,
Cameroon and Ghana where children might be at risk of being exposed to abusive labor practices, and has begun work in these areas.
Children at risk are being helped in a variety of ways - for example, being re-directed into schools or vocational training.
- A program to boost farm family incomes and promote responsible labor practices, the "Farmer Field Schools," helped nearly 15,000 West African farm families in 2003/2004. Early reports indicate that the program is significantly raising awareness of acceptable vs. unacceptable labor practices, while generating significant increases in farm family incomes.
- Efforts to develop cocoa farmer cooperatives in the region - an effective way to promote responsible labor practices and boost family incomes - benefited more than 28,000 farm families in 2004 alone, in the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria.
- The industry is working in partnership with Winrock International to provide improved access to vocational education in cocoa farming villages.
"The issues linked to labor practices in cocoa farming are some of the most profound challenges facing Africa today, issues like farmer incomes, access to
education, HIV/AIDS," noted CMA President Bragg. "They require a long-term commitment that extends far beyond a four-year timetable - and that is exactly the
commitment our industry has made, and will continue to honor."
Background:
The Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) has served as the premiere trade group for manufacturers and distributors of cocoa and chocolate
products in the United States since 1923. The association was founded to fund and administer research, promote chocolate to the general public
and serve as an advocate of the industry before Congress and government agencies. CMA's mission is to serve as the voice of the American chocolate
industry and through research, education and public information, works to ensure a continued supply of cocoa and consumption of high value and quality
chocolate products for the American people. CMA members represent over 90% of the chocolate processed in the United States.
Responsible Cocoa Farming and the Chocolate/Cocoa Industry Questions and Answers
What is the status of the Protocol?
The chocolate/cocoa industry is firmly committed to the Protocol agreement to ensure cocoa is grown responsibly. We have met every deadline, and will
continue to do so. The Protocol enjoys the full support and participation of our industry.
What will you complete by the July 1 deadline established under the Protocol?
We will have completed development of standards for certification of labor practices on cocoa farming
- as called for under the Protocol agreement signed by Senator Harkin, Representative Engel and representatives from the chocolate/cocoa industry. Large-scale tests of the monitoring and verification
- two important components of certification - will have taken place by the July 1 deadline.
From there, we will work with our partners at the International Labour Organization (ILO), NGOs and West African governments to implement robust
labor monitoring and independent verification across the West African cocoa sector.
What about concerns voiced that the Protocol is in jeopardy, that the industry will not fulfil its obligations?
These comments come as a surprise to the industry. Quite simply, they are wrong on the facts
- The industry is firmly, totally committed to the Protocol
- The industry will meet the July 1 deadline established under the Protocol for development of "standards of certification."
- The industry has a long-term commitment and plan - extending beyond the July 1 deadline - to bring about meaningful change in the lives of children and families on cocoa farms
These commitments are well known by the industry's partners in organized labor, NGOs and labor experts with whom we are working, day-in and day-out, to complete
development of certification and implement programs to help cocoa farming families.
Are abusive labor practices widespread? What is the scope of the problem?
An independent survey, conducted by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture as part of the Protocol, found that the vast majority of farmers are honest, farming cocoa responsibly. The
survey did find other areas of concern - issues with safe working practices, use of pesticides, children attending school vs. working on their family farm.
Regardless of the results, industry believes that it's critically important to address any instances of abusive labor practices, and to push for meaningful, long-term
change in the lives of children and families on cocoa farms.
What about specific reports of children who worked in abusive labor conditions?
In both private and public settings, we have repeatedly asked for information on these and any child who might be in abusive labor situation - so that we can work with our non-industry partners
immediately to locate, remove and assist the children in question.
To date, no group or individual has come forward with specific information to help find and rescue these children. Until this happens, these reports will
remain little more than anecdotes and not translate into action.
Have industry-supported efforts made a difference? What accomplishments have taken place?
Working with the ILO, organized labor, NGOs and West African developments, there has been clear, significant progress:
- A large-scale test of a cocoa farm labor monitoring program is underway in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.
- A similar test of an independent "verification" of the certification process is planned for the upcoming mid-crop cocoa harvest (May, 2005).
- The joint foundation established by industry and non-industry stakeholders, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), is moving forward with a program of on-the-ground activities in West Africa to address child and forced labor issues.
- The ILO-directed program to identity and help at-risk children on cocoa farms is up-and-running in cocoa farming communities in West Africa. WACAP (West Africa Commercial Agriculture Program to Combat Hazardous and Exploitive Child Labor) has identified communities in the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Ghana where children might be at risk of being exposed to abusive labor practices, and has begun work in these areas.
- A program to boost farm family incomes and promote responsible labor practices, the "Farmer Field Schools," helped nearly 15,000 West African farm families in 2003/2004.
- Efforts to develop cocoa farmer cooperatives in the region - an effective way to promote responsible labor practices and boost family incomes - benefited more than 28,000 farm families in 2004 alone.
- The industry is working in partnership with Winrock International to provide improved access to vocational education in cocoa farming villages.
This progress has taken place against a backdrop of civil unrest and armed conflict in the Ivory Coast, and in an environment that is among the most remote and rural in the world.
What's next?
As an industry, we are committed to the social, economic and environmental development of cocoa farming communities - a commitment that extends far beyond the Protocol established under the Protocol.
- We will complete development of standards for certification, by July 1, 2005 - as called for under the Protocol.
- Following that, we will work with our partners in organized labor, NGOs and West African governments to roll out the monitoring and verification components of certification - across West Africa.
- We will support programs to help cocoa farmers and their families - through such industry-supported efforts as the World Cocoa Foundation.
- We will support the joint foundation established under the Protocol to address labor issues in cocoa farming - the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI)
For information contact:
Susan Smith , on behalf of the chocolate/cocoa industry
703/790-5750
susan.smith@candyusa.org
