"Cocoa Farmers File Complaint Over Prices and Child Labour"

" \r\n \r\n\r\n Cocoa Farmers File Complaint Over Prices and Child Labour \r\n\r\nCocoa growers in Ghana filed a complaint with state regulator COCOBOD on Thursday listing key environmental and social issues, including a demand for a \u201cliving income\u201d for farmers.\r\n\r\nThe complaint, which was signed by 30 farmers, also raised concerns over continuing deforestation, child labour and the use of pesticides by the world\u2019s second-largest cocoa producer.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\nIt will test a grievance mechanism created by COCOBOD as a prerequisite for a $600 million syndicated loan arranged by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2019.\r\n\r\nCOCOBOD's mandate gives it broad control over the regulation of farmer prices, cocoa marketing and pesticide distribution.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\n\u201cThe AfDB sought to address precisely the type of environmental and social issues identified in this petition when it mandated the creation of the\u2026grievance mechanism,\u201d the complaint, seen by Reuters, said.\r\n\r\nThe document was submitted by the University of Ghana School of Law, the Civic Response non-profit organisation, and the Chicago-based Corporate Accountability Lab.\r\n \r\n \r\n\r\nCOCOBOD\u00a0and the AfDB did not immediately respond to requests for comment.\r\n\r\nThe cocoa trade has been roiled by poor harvests in West Africa last season that pushed global prices to record highs.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\nContracts are still trading well above historical averages, with December New York cocoa currently above $7,000 a ton.\r\n\r\nCOCOBOD\u00a0raised Ghana\u2019s farmer price by nearly 45% to 48,000 cedis ($3,000) per metric ton for the 2024\/25 season.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\nThe producers\u2019 complaint cited studies finding that only a fraction of Ghana\u2019s farmers earn a living income from their cocoa.\r\n\r\n\u201cCOCOBOD must require companies to pay farmers a higher price\u2026a living income,\u201d it said, adding higher prices were also \u201can essential first step towards eliminating child labour\u201d.\r\n\r\nCocobod must also enforce companies\u2019 commitments on deforestation, ensure their supply chains are publicly transparent, ban the sale of dangerous pesticides and increase farm sustainability, the farmers said.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n "

"Cocoa Farmers File Complaint Over Prices and Child Labour"

Job Creation in Ghana’s Productive Sector Constrained by Weak Labour Demand, Says World BankAMP

World Bank Flags Financial Risks at COCOBODAMP

Three Problems That are Worse Than Taxes and Corruption for Zambian BusinessesAMP