The Challenge of Child Labour and Chocolate

Summary

Cocoa is primarily grown in West Africa by small family farmers, with many children helping out on the farms. While not all child labor is harmful, hazardous tasks such as carrying heavy loads, using sharp tools, and handling pesticides are common, impacting children's education. Around 1.6 million children are engaged in child labor on cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Efforts are being made by governments, companies, and organizations to combat child labor, improve education, and provide families with alternative income sources. Progress has been seen, but more work is needed to ensure a bright future for these children.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cocoa is mostly grown in West Africa by smallholder family farms, where the cocoa goes through multiple steps before becoming the chocolate we enjoy.
• 😀 Children often help on cocoa farms, but the work can sometimes be hazardous and interfere with their education, which constitutes child labour.
• 😀 Around 1.6 million children are involved in child labour on cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, where they are exposed to dangerous tasks like carrying heavy loads, using sharp tools, and handling pesticides.
• 😀 Child labour is part of a larger global issue, with an estimated 152 million children in child labour worldwide, 70% of them working in agriculture.
• 😀 Factors contributing to child labour in cocoa farming include poverty, lack of access to quality education, and farmers' unawareness of the harm caused by child labour.
• 😀 Child labour is not the same as forced labour; forced labour involves working under duress and threats, whereas child labour may occur out of necessity, even though it is harmful.
• 😀 Around 1% of children in cocoa farming in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire may be at risk of forced labour, though this is a distinct issue from general child labour.
• 😀 Governments, cocoa and chocolate companies, NGOs, and farming communities are collaborating to combat child labour in cocoa farming, focusing on protecting children, improving education, and supporting family livelihoods.
• 😀 There has been significant progress, including a 30% decline in child labour in supported communities, and nearly all children in Ghana attending primary school.
• 😀 Efforts to combat child labour are expanding, with an emphasis on reaching more children, improving education access, and addressing the root causes of child labour to ensure a better future for children in cocoa farming.

Q & A

Where is cocoa mostly grown?

Cocoa is mostly grown in West Africa, particularly by smallholder family farms.

How is cocoa processed before becoming chocolate?

Cocoa goes through several steps in the supply chain, where it changes before being made into chocolate.

What role do children play on cocoa farms?

Children often help out on small farms alongside their families. Not all work is harmful, but some tasks can be hazardous.

What is child labor, and how does it relate to cocoa farming?

Child labor refers to work that interferes with a child's schooling or involves hazardous tasks. On cocoa farms, it includes activities like carrying heavy loads and using sharp tools.

How many children are estimated to be involved in child labor on cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana?

Approximately 1.6 million children are involved in child labor on cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana.

What are some of the hazardous tasks children perform on cocoa farms?

Hazardous tasks include carrying heavy loads, using sharp tools, handling pesticides, and land clearing.

What is the broader global issue related to child labor?

Child labor is a global issue, with an estimated 152 million children engaged in labor, 70% of them working in agriculture.

What are some of the reasons children are engaged in labor on cocoa farms?

Reasons include poverty, lack of access to quality education, and unawareness of the harmful effects of child labor.

How does child labor differ from forced labor?

Child labor refers to work that harms children’s development and education, while forced labor involves working against one’s will under threat.

What actions are being taken to address child labor in the cocoa sector?

Governments, cocoa and chocolate companies, civil society organizations, and farming communities are working together to scale up protection systems, improve education, help families earn income, and raise awareness.

Has there been progress in reducing child labor in the cocoa sector?

Yes, there has been a 30% decline in child labor in supported communities, and almost all children in Ghana and four out of five in Côte d'Ivoire attend primary school.

What more needs to be done to eliminate child labor in cocoa farming?

More efforts are needed to expand programs, protect children, address root causes, and ensure children reach their full potential.