Chocolate industry drives rainforest disaster in Ivory Coast

Organizations play a fundamental role in our society and allow us to do things more effectively. Every
organization has individuals who are affected by what the organization does and they are called
stakeholders (Boddy and Paton 2011).They may be actively involved in a project and may have an
interest in the total performance or completion of the project. They have a key role in all ventures in
spite of their sizes. In this essay the issues arising in the article, along with their impact on stakeholders
will be analyzed.
The chocolate production is an enormous industry. Around 7.3 million tonnes of cocoa beans are
consumed annually and it is predicted that by 2020 it may surpass 7.7 million tonnes, according to
The Statistics portal (2017). As recorded by World Cocoa Foundation (2010), Africa is one of the main
regions where the production of cocoa is being made and about 70% of the world’s cocoa comes
from there. 33% comes from Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire), which is a country in West Africa. An
investigation provided by The Guardian shows that the demand for chocolate is so high that big
brands such as Ferrero Rocher, Milka, Nestlé and Mars have been purchasing it from the world’s
largest cocoa traders Olam, Cargill, and Barry Callebaut. They on the other hand, have been buying
chocolate illegally from protected national parks and forests in the Ivory Coast. ‘’Likely 40% of Ivorian
cocoa is coming from these illegal cocoa plantations inside protected areas’’ as reported by Etelle
Higonnet. Serious environmental consequences can be seen, such as the 80% reduction of rainforest
cover .The benefits from this diverse eco system can be seriously lost.’’Forests in Côte d’Ivoire are
important not only locally and regionally, but also globally’’ because of their great biodiversity
esteemed with numerous endemic species, as is explained by UNEP. Unfortunately, chocolate
activity can cause serious issues in wildlife populations as well. These staggering facts are fueled by
big chocolate brands. In order to avoid the deforestation, there is a need to develop sustainable
methods for cocoa productions which do not compromise the integrity of the forest.
On the other side of this problem stand the leading chocolate brands and traders. In fact, they have
been able to generate a huge market and take advantage of corruption, bribery and absence of law
implementation inside the Ivorian government. In June 2017 the main producers of chocolate
launched a pledge to end this rainforest disaster.Barry Parkin chief officer at Mars said they are doing
everything to detect the best solution. The Prince of Wales and big corporate brands will also work
together to end the destruction of rainforests. In his speech he explained that the private sector
plays a key role in saving the forests. The president of The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), Rick
Scobey, explained that their ‘’goal is to grow more cocoa, but on less land’’. All these environmental
initiatives could create awareness among the population and the necessity to protect nature. Ivorian
and Ghana governments are promising to take actions against this environmental crash, according to
The Guardian (2017). Etelle Higonnet, is worried that these two governments are in danger of the
industry’s plans to kick the can down the road and blame them for the whole thing without helping
them financially. Even though, it could all be fixed by the industry because chocolate companies are
the one with the money and technical resources to fix it.
Another emerging problem in this rainforest challenge are the farmers. Many of them have been
living most of their lifetime in poverty and are frequently underpaid for their labor. Higonnet stated
that farmers are paid only $ 0.50 per day, while the poverty threshold is identified as $1.25 a day.
She also adds that the profit from a single chocolate bar, which every farmer benefits from, has been
decreased to 6%.The Ivorian economist Yousef Carios believes that this crisis with the prices will have
enormous influence on the cocoa industry monster. George Koffi Kouame, a local farmer, shares that
nobody has paid for his cocoa corps which he harvested months ago. Moreover, he is scared for his
future and his ability to afford to feed his family. The irony in this situation is that farmers who supply
approximately half of the world`s cocoa beans do not have enough money to buy this delicious
dessert themselves.
Africa should be known for its natural resources, and not for its manufacturing. However, it can be
said that it is one of the broadest global traders in the chocolate industry. As seen and discussed, the
most damaged areas form the cocoa industry are Ivory Coast and Ghana. Not only are numerous
species under threat but landscape is denuded as well .Furthermore, the chocolate industry is well-
known for violating labor rights. As a conclusion, the words of Chelsea Davis (2017) can be used:’’the
truth behind the chocolate industry will leave a bitter taste in your mouth.’’

Reference:
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