The Story of Chocolate: Unwrapping the Bar

Summary

The script highlights the bitter reality behind the chocolate industry, where cocoa farmers in West Africa face exploitation and poverty despite the high demand for chocolate. It discusses the challenges of cocoa farming, the impact of climate change, and the importance of Fairtrade certification in providing a minimum price and premium for farmers. The script emphasizes the need for consumers to support fair trade to ensure a living income for farmers, and the collective effort required to transform the industry for a sustainable future.

Takeaways

• 🍫 Chocolate is a globally popular treat, with the UK consuming an average of three bars per person per week.
• 🌍 The history of chocolate dates back over 2,000 years, and most cocoa is now grown in West Africa, particularly in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire.
• 🌱 Cocoa grows on trees in pods and requires a significant amount of labor and time to cultivate, including a five-year growth period and a fermentation process.
• 🌡️ Climate change and weather patterns pose challenges to cocoa farmers, increasing the risk of crop damage and disease.
• 💰 Many cocoa farmers are underpaid and live in poverty, earning less than one dollar a day, which is insufficient to cover basic needs.
• 📉 The price of cocoa has recently plummeted, exacerbating the financial struggles of cocoa farmers.
• 🛍️ Fair trade practices offer a minimum price and additional premium for cocoa farmers, providing a safety net and resources for community investments.
• 🏆 Fairtrade certification has led to increased production for some farmers and has empowered women in farming communities.
• 👩‍🌾 Women in West Africa often face barriers to land, credit, and leadership roles, but initiatives like the women's society at Khayat are working to empower them.
• 🌱 Diversification of crops is important for farmers to have a stable income, especially when cocoa prices are volatile.
• 🛒 Choosing fair trade chocolate is a consumer action that can support farmers and encourage retailers to offer fairer deals.
• 🌟 The ultimate goal is to ensure a living income for cocoa farmers, which is estimated to be $2.50 per person per day, to cover basic needs and reinvestment in their farms.

Q & A

How popular is chocolate in the UK, and what does this consumption imply about the cocoa industry?

In the UK, chocolate is extremely popular, with an average consumption of about three bars per person per week. This high demand implies a significant reliance on the cocoa industry, which has a complex impact on the lives of cocoa farmers, many of whom face underpayment and exploitation.

What is the historical origin of chocolate, and where is most of the world's cocoa grown today?

Chocolate's history dates back over 2,000 years to Mexico, but today, most of the world's cocoa is grown in West Africa, with Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire contributing 60% of the global supply.

How is cocoa produced, and what are the challenges faced by cocoa farmers?

Cocoa is produced from trees that take five years to grow pods. The pods are cut down, and the beans inside are fermented and dried. Cocoa farmers face hard work and challenges such as weather dependency, diseases, and the impact of climate change, which can lead to crop damage or loss.

How does the fluctuation in cocoa prices affect the livelihood of cocoa farmers?

Fluctuations in cocoa prices can have a disastrous effect on farmers' livelihoods. When prices plummet, farmers may not earn enough to provide basic necessities for their families, pushing them further into poverty.

What is the Fairtrade system, and how does it help cocoa farmers?

The Fairtrade system provides a minimum price for cocoa that cannot drop below a certain level, acting as a safety net for farmers when market prices are low. Additionally, a Fairtrade premium is paid for every ton of cocoa sold, which farmers can invest in their community or business, such as schools, health centers, or infrastructure.

How does Fairtrade certification impact the production and income of cocoa farmers?

Fairtrade certification not only provides a minimum price and premium but also access to training in good agricultural practices, which can increase production efficiency and, consequently, farmers' incomes.

What role do women play in the cocoa farming communities, and how does Fairtrade support them?

Women in cocoa farming communities often have less access to resources and are underrepresented in leadership roles. Fairtrade initiatives aim to empower women by providing them with access to independent income through diversification projects and supporting their participation in cooperatives and community decision-making.

Why is diversification important for cocoa farming communities, and how does it benefit them?

Diversification is crucial as it allows farmers to grow other crops, providing an independent income that is not solely reliant on fluctuating cocoa prices. This additional revenue can support families throughout the year, especially during off-harvest seasons.

What is the concept of a 'living income' for cocoa farmers, and why is it important?

A living income refers to an amount that enables cocoa farmers to provide for their families' basic needs, including food, health, education, and a decent home. It is important because without a living income, farmers may not be able to sustain their livelihoods and may turn to other, more profitable crops.

What is the estimated living income for cocoa farmers in Cote d'Ivoire, and how does it compare to their current earnings?

The estimated living income needed to cover basic needs in Cote d'Ivoire is $2.50 per day per person in the household, which is close to the price of a large bar of chocolate. However, most farmers currently earn far less than this amount.

What steps can consumers take to support a fairer deal for cocoa farmers?

Consumers can support a fairer deal for cocoa farmers by choosing Fairtrade certified chocolate, which signals to retailers and the industry the demand for ethically sourced products. Additionally, advocating for living income initiatives and supporting companies that commit to fair trade practices can contribute to positive change in the cocoa industry.

Outlines

00:00

🍫 The Dark Side of Chocolate's Sweet Appeal

This paragraph delves into the chocolate industry's less sweet reality, highlighting the plight of cocoa farmers who are underpaid and exploited. It emphasizes the hard work involved in cocoa farming, the reliance on weather conditions, and the challenges posed by climate change. The script also touches on the economic disparity in the supply chain, where farmers see very little of the industry's value, leading to a struggle to meet basic human needs. The historical context of chocolate is briefly mentioned, with a focus on West Africa as the primary source of the world's cocoa. The paragraph concludes with a musical interlude that underscores the gravity of the situation.

05:00

🌱 Fair Trade as a Lifeline for Cocoa Farmers

The second paragraph discusses the impact of Fair Trade certification on cocoa farmers, providing a safety net through minimum pricing and additional premiums that allow for community investment and improvement. It showcases the story of a Fair Trade cooperative, illustrating how the premium has been used to advance children's education, improve infrastructure, and secure access to clean water. The narrative also addresses gender disparities in West Africa's agricultural sector, emphasizing the role of women in farming communities and the empowerment initiatives that aim to increase their participation and income. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for consumers to support Fair Trade to bring about meaningful change in the cocoa industry.

10:03

🛍️ Transforming the Cocoa Industry for Sustainable Livelihoods

The final paragraph focuses on the broader efforts required to ensure a living income for cocoa farmers, beyond just Fair Trade certification. It outlines the need for collaboration between traders, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers to create a sustainable cocoa sector. The script highlights the importance of measuring household income and the role of Fair Trade in advocating for farmers' rights. It concludes with a message of hope, urging consumers to choose Fair Trade products to support the transformation of the industry and make living incomes a reality for cocoa farmers, thus securing the future of cocoa farming.

Keywords

💡Chocolate

Chocolate is a popular treat made from cocoa beans, and it serves as the central theme of the video. The script discusses the widespread love for chocolate and its origins, as well as the darker side of the industry where cocoa farmers are underpaid and exploited. The term 'chocolate' is repeatedly used to draw attention to the contrast between the enjoyment of the product and the hardships faced by those who produce its main ingredient.

💡Cocoa Farmers

Cocoa farmers are the individuals who grow the cocoa plants from which chocolate is made. The script highlights the plight of these farmers, who often live in poverty and face exploitation, earning less than a living wage. The term is crucial to the video's narrative as it humanizes the supply chain and brings attention to the need for fair wages and better living conditions for these workers.

💡Fair Trade

Fair Trade is a certification scheme that ensures producers receive a fair price for their goods, which is a key point in the video. It provides a minimum price for cocoa, acting as a safety net for farmers when market prices drop. The script uses the term to illustrate how Fair Trade can help improve the lives of cocoa farmers by providing them with additional income and the ability to invest in their communities.

💡Cocoa

Cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate, derived from the seeds of the cocoa tree. The script explains the process of growing cocoa and the labor-intensive work involved. The term 'cocoa' is central to the video's exploration of the chocolate industry, emphasizing the connection between the product and the conditions under which it is produced.

💡West Africa

West Africa, particularly Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, is highlighted in the script as the source of 60% of the world's cocoa. The region is significant to the video's theme as it is where many of the issues concerning cocoa farmers are concentrated, and it underscores the geographical origins of the chocolate industry's problems.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is mentioned as a factor contributing to the increased frequency of diseases and the death of cocoa trees due to excessive heat. The script uses this term to illustrate the additional challenges faced by cocoa farmers, showing how global environmental issues can exacerbate the difficulties in the chocolate supply chain.

💡Living Income

Living income is a concept introduced in the script that refers to the amount of money needed for a producer to provide a decent standard of living for their family, including food, health, education, and a safe home. The term is pivotal to the video's message, advocating for a fairer economic model that ensures cocoa farmers can earn enough to cover their basic needs.

💡Cooperative

A cooperative is a business or organization owned and operated by the people who use its services, in this case, the cocoa farmers. The script discusses how working together in a cooperative allows farmers to share knowledge, access training, and benefit from the Fairtrade premium. The term is important as it represents a form of collective action that can empower farmers and improve their conditions.

💡Fairtrade Premium

The Fairtrade Premium is an additional sum paid on top of the Fairtrade price for each ton of cocoa sold. The script explains how this premium can be invested by the farmers in their community, such as building schools or improving access to clean water. The term is central to the video's argument for the benefits of Fairtrade in enabling farmers to improve their own lives and communities.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the context of the script refers to the long-term viability of the cocoa farming industry, taking into account environmental, social, and economic factors. The term is used to discuss the need for the chocolate industry to change its practices to ensure that cocoa farming remains a viable livelihood for farmers and does not contribute to environmental degradation.

💡Cocoa Industry

The cocoa industry encompasses all the businesses involved in the production of chocolate, from the farming of cocoa to the manufacturing and sale of the final product. The script uses this term to describe the economic system that currently undervalues the work of cocoa farmers and needs to be reformed to ensure fair wages and sustainable practices.

Highlights

Chocolate is a popular treat with an average consumption of three bars per person per week in the UK.

The chocolate industry has a dark side with many cocoa farmers being underpaid and exploited.

Cocoa farmers struggle to earn enough for basic human rights such as food, education, and housing.

Chocolate's history dates back over 2,000 years, originating in Mexico and now predominantly grown in West Africa.

60% of the world's cocoa comes from Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire.

Cocoa grows on trees in pods, and the process from pod to dried bean is labor-intensive and weather-dependent.

Cocoa farmers face uncertainties due to climate change, affecting crop health and yields.

Cocoa farmers have little control over the price of their cocoa, which is set far away from their farms.

A typical cocoa farmer in Cote d'Ivoire lives on less than one dollar a day, insufficient for basic needs.

The plummeting price of cocoa in recent years has pushed many farmers further into poverty.

Fair trade offers a minimum price and additional premium to support farmers and their communities.

Fairtrade cooperatives enable farmers to invest in community projects like schools and health centers.

Women in West Africa often have less access to resources and are underrepresented in farming organizations.

Fairtrade certification and training have increased production and income for some farmers.

The women's society at Khayat has used the Fairtrade premium to diversify income sources.

A living income for cocoa farmers is estimated to be $2.50 a day per person in the household.

The chocolate industry needs to prioritize providing a living income to ensure sustainability and fair treatment of farmers.

Consumers can help by choosing fair trade chocolate and encouraging companies to offer fair prices to farmers.

Fairtrade is working with stakeholders to transform the chocolate industry and make living incomes a reality for cocoa farmers.

Transcripts

[Music]

chocolate we love it it's one of the

world's most popular treats in the UK

alone we each eat an average of around

three bars a week but you don't have to

look too far before you find the

chocolate industry itself is far from

sweet many farmers who grow the cocoa

for our treats are underpaid and

exploited that means they can't earn

enough for the basic human rights many

of us take for granted including food

education and housing so how can we stop

chocklit from leaving a bitter

aftertaste let's find out chocolates

history dates back well over 2,000 years

to Mexico but most is now grown in West

Africa 60% of the world's cocoa comes

from Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire the main

ingredient of chocolate cocoa grows on

trees in pods it takes a cocoa tree five

years to grow pods which are cut down

with sharp knives and cracked open each

pod has 20 to 6 cc's covered in a white

pulp the pulp is laid under banana

leaves or in wooden crates and turned

occasionally over five to seven days the

POC ferments to leave sticky cocoa beans

which are laid out in the Sun to dry

growing cocoa is hard work and relies

heavily on the weather with changing

weather patterns cocoa farmers face more

uncertainty as crops are more at risk of

rain damage or disease a bra TA has been

farming cocoa for over 25 years and

knows how difficult it can be diseases

are more frequent because of climate

change and the excessive heat the trees

often die from the cocoa farm the cocoa

beans are sold to traders who export

them most of these go to Europe where

they are made into

liquid cocoa cocoa butter and cocoa

powder mixed with milk or soy and made

into chocolate cocoa is big business in

the UK alone the chocolate industry is

worth 4 billion pounds a year but cocoa

farmers are at the very end of the

supply chain and see very little of

Coco's value they have little control

over how much they sell their cocoa for

with prices set far away a typical cocoa

farmer in Cote d'Ivoire lives on less

than one dollar a day that's around 80 P

not enough to provide for the basics for

a family

[Music]

to make matters worse in the past few

years the price of cocoa has plummeted

pushing many cocoa farmers further into

poverty the cocoa prices are disastrous

when a farmer gets up in the morning

he's always worried how will he be able

to feed and care for his family

how can he send his children to school

fair trade has helped for fair trade

cocoa farmers like a bra ta when the

price of cocoa drops it can't drop below

the Fairtrade minimum price which acts

as a safety net the bill Muncey human

the market price rules we ultimately use

the Fairtrade minimum price this

fellow's the producer to keep farming

and even to improve the production on

top of this for every ton of cocoa sold

on Fairtrade terms the farmer

organization the co-operative receives

an additional sum the Fairtrade premium

to invest in their business and their

community as they see fit

this might mean investing money in a

school health center or clean drinking

water this is Rosie she's a farmer at a

Fairtrade certified cocoa cooperative

called Chi Act what effect would have

seen that Fairtrade has helped us a lot

in cocoa farming the Fairtrade premium

has enabled us to do many things it has

enabled us to advance our children's

education and also we use the Fairtrade

premium to build for the future using

Fairtrade premium kayat have built

nursery schools and rebuilt damaged

school buildings so that young children

can attend school safely and their

mothers can go to work

they have installed a water pump for

access to clean water and have invested

in large warehouses and a number of

trucks so that they can store and

transport their cocoa beans efficiently

working together in a cooperative also

means farmers can share knowledge and

access training certificates on a weekly

informational Aborn platicas since

getting Fairtrade certification and

training in good agricultural practices

I can see that it has greatly increased

my production in 2017 I had one tonne

and in 2018 I had 1.5 tons so I can see

that the training from Fairtrade enabled

me to increase the income from my farm

Rosine is also the secretary of the

women's society at Khayat women in West

Africa often have less access than men

to land and credit and are often

underrepresented in farmers

organizations public meetings and

leadership roles in communities who have

also Bruce

at the moment there are lots of women

who don't realize that they have a voice

don't feel empowered or know that they

can be at the forefront of somethings

there are lots of women who have not

understood this yet years of studies

have shown that when women have access

to their own independent income the rate

of development for the whole community

increases and Murray works to empower

cocoa farmers across West Africa the

women wake up early in the morning

before the whole family before everybody

around 4:00 4:30 they are weak then cook

food for the whole family send children

to school take their machete in the

staff to the phone when work hard on the

phone come in the house cook dinner for

the whole family and they sleep they are

the last person to go on bed wake up

early in the morning before everybody

and sleep after everybody this is the

reason why they deserve also more

attention because they know more than

the rest at Khayat Rosine works with 400

other women in the women's society and

they have invested Fairtrade premium in

diversification projects such as growing

other crops so that they can earn an

independent income that doesn't rely on

fluctuating cocoa prices they're also

the affair at the base if you got value

Manuel diversification is important

having manioc bananas and chillies in

the field and brings us a lot of revenue

this benefits the children because

outside of the kernel harvesting season

and the income isn't there it's the

women who having sold contribute to the

family income to pay for school fees the

benefits of Fairtrade are evident from

training support to the minimum price to

the Fairtrade premium thanks to

consumers choosing fair trade chocolate

many cocoa farmers have been able to

make a real difference in their

communities but the sad truth is that

certification alone is not enough to

transform a global industry on this

scale

not all Fairtrade certified farmers are

able to sell all of their crop on

Fairtrade terms

you

[Music]

when companies agree to pay on fair

trade terms they are already taking an

important step towards solving the

problem of living income but communities

in West Africa need to sell much more of

their cocoa at higher prices for things

to change properly we can help to change

this by choosing fair trade and showing

retailers that farmers deserve a fairer

deal but we need to go even further we

need to build on the achievements of

Fairtrade certification and encourage

others to do more to change the cocoa

industry farmers deserve the basic human

right of a living income enough to cover

a decent standard of living for me the

living income is this amount that will

help the producer to be able to take

care of his family and reinvest and the

farm for a future in Cote d'Ivoire a

living income that will cover food

health education a decent home and safe

water is estimated to be $2 50 a day for

each person in the household just under

2 pounds this would be the price of a

large bar of chocolate and yet most

farmers get far less than this so if the

situation does not change I think people

will stop cocoa farming because the

incomes are too low people are going to

grow other crops such as palm oil I do

not want to be mean or alarmist but we

have to acknowledge that young people do

not want to be cocoa farmers anymore

because it is not profitable

Fairtrade is working towards a living

income for farmers over the next few

years fair trading those people working

really hard with chocolate browns with

retailers and with government and

worrying see consensus that a living

income for cocoa farmers in their

families is what everybody wants to

achieve but this is going to be hard and

what only going to be able to do it with

people who love to eat chocolate in the

UK joining in as well

there are traders chocolate

manufacturers and retailers in the chain

who all take a share of the price paid

for a finished product most recognize

that farmers incomes are too low for

cocoa to be sustainable the way the

industry currently works and are keen to

address this there's been lots of

initiatives in the past to try and raise

productivity if we once moved to a truly

sustainable cocoa sector then we have to

be putting on measuring household income

of cocoa farmers at the heart of

projects as exactly what Fairtrade doing

when you choose fair trade you are

showing retailers that you want the

farmers at the other end of the supply

chain to get a living income we will be

working hard to transform the chocolate

industry to make this happen together

let's make living incomes a reality for

cocoa farmers

[Music]

you