A group of Ghanaian cocoa farmers has formally appealed to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), urging it to tackle persistent challenges in the industry, including deforestation, child labour, hazardous pesticide use, and the delay in paying farmers' living allowance.

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The farmers’ complaint, supported by the University of Ghana School of Law, Civic Response, and the Corporate Accountability Lab, seeks to hold COCOBOD accountable by testing a grievance mechanism established as a condition for securing a $600 million loan from the African Development Bank in 2019.

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The 30 farmers contend that despite COCOBOD’s regulatory oversight, these issues have plagued the cocoa sector for over a decade, adversely affecting the well-being of farmers and their communities.Phidelia Gameli, one of the farmers, stressed the need for COCOBOD to prioritize farmer welfare. “Improving the welfare of cocoa farmers should be at the forefront of COCOBOD’s responsibilities,” Gameli told Citi Business News.

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The complaint highlights environmental and social challenges in the cocoa industry, noting that deforestation, limited progress toward agroforestry, excessive use of toxic pesticides, and child labour remain widespread. It argues that these issues are exacerbated by opaque supply chains and low prices paid to farmers, calling for an overhaul to ensure fairer and safer practices.

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Additionally, the complaint points to a pressing issue of cocoa bean smuggling. Ghana reportedly lost 120,000 metric tons of cocoa beans to smuggling between 2022 and 2023, posing a substantial threat to the industry and national economy. This trend, linked to higher cocoa prices in neighboring countries, underscores a need for improved regulatory action.

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In 2018, COCOBOD launched an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), including a grievance and redress mechanism. The ESMS is intended to help COCOBOD identify and manage environmental, social, health, and safety risks across all its operations, including those involving contractors and associated entities. However, the farmers claim the system has yet to produce the needed results, prompting this collective action.

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