Côte d’Ivoire fights against child labor, deforestation with electronic cards for cocoa farmers
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading producer of cocoa, has taken steps to combat deforestation and child labor by distributing electronic cards to farmers.
The cards, which will be used to track the beans from plantations to export ports, are part of the country’s response to the European Union’s plan to ban imports of products linked to deforestation and rights abuses by 2024.
The card system, set to begin operation on October 1st, will enable the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) to trace beans from plantations to the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro and reject illegally grown beans.
The cards will also be integrated with an electronic payment and wallet system that will guarantee farmers receive the guaranteed farmgate price of 900 CFA francs ($1.52) per kg of beans.
The CCC aims to distribute around 50,000 cards per month until the end of the current season.
