Sustainability
ETHICAL SUPPLY CHAINS
Bitter aftertaste
Could cultural values make cocoa farming more sustainable?
these efforts should emphasise their cultural alignment. In this way, the shift to planting shade trees, rearing livestock, and preserving biodiversity is not just ecological – it is cultural. Across sub-Saharan Africa, the collectivist ethos runs deep. The southern African philosophy of ubuntu – ‘I am because we are’ – captures the spirit of mutual obligation and shared success. In rural cocoa communities, this ethic shapes everything from land allocation to supply chain governance. My research into cocoa supply chains in Ghana reveals how community-based farming co-operatives have responded to international demands for supply chain traceability and sustainability. These informal groupings have reorganised their operations, relying on trusted community leaders – chiefs, elders and chief farmers – to vouch for oral agreements and to mediate disputes. This informal governance system offers a compelling alternative to rigid written contracts and
digital tracking technologies like blockchain, which remain out of reach for many rural farmers. By leveraging trust and social cohesion, these communities have built resilient supply chains capable of adapting to disruptions – from climate shocks to market volatility. Yet even as these cultural strengths offer hope, another threat looms: illegal gold mining or ‘galamsey’. Driven by poverty and the lure of quick profits, some farmers have sold parcels of their land to miners or joined the trade themselves. The consequences are devastating on the soil and rivers, while reports of child labour raise alarms about modern slavery. Here again, indigenous culture may hold the key. The principles of ubuntu – respect, dignity and communal responsibility – could help counter the temptations of short-term gain. Where formal regulation is weak, cultural norms and moral values can serve as powerful deterrents, encouraging farmers to consider the long-term wellbeing of their communities and environment.
Supply chain sustainability cannot be achieved through metrics alone. It requires an understanding of the social fabric in which production is embedded. Recognising the role of traditional leaders, informal governance and collectivist values can help build more equitable relationships with upstream actors. It can also enhance supply chain resilience by fostering trust and collaboration rather than competition and control. In the end, the future of confectionary firms, or any companies with an upstream supply chain for that matter, may depend not just on technology or trade policy, but on a willingness to listen – to the farmers, to the communities, and to the wisdom of the past.
by Ghadafi Razak
I t’s a dull day in the office. You’ve been eyeing that chocolate bar since lunch, and, finally, the moment arrives. You peel back the wrapper, take a bite, and let the sweet, tangy richness fill your senses. It’s a small ritual, a fleeting pleasure. But, as you savour that feelgood moment, have you ever considered the lives of those who made it possible? For the smallholder cocoa farmers of West Africa – who produce more than 70 per cent of the world’s cocoa – the feelgood factor is in short supply. These farmers, many of whom operate on plots less than five hectares in size, are facing a
perfect storm of challenges: climate unpredictability, pest and disease outbreaks, ageing trees, and, in more recent times, illegal mining activities. The result? A sharp decline in cocoa output and a corresponding rise in global chocolate prices for consumers. But beyond the economics lies a deeper story – one of cultural resilience, indigenous knowledge, and the potential for a more inclusive and sustainable future. In Ghana, people still hold to the concept of Sankofa – a belief in looking back to retrieve something valuable from the past to inform the future. It is a philosophy that offers a pathway to those seeking solutions to the cocoa crisis. Having visited
some farms across Ghana, I have seen first-hand how traditional farming methods – once sidelined in favour of agrochemical approaches – are being re-evaluated. My grandparents, who farmed near Kumasi, never used synthetic fertilisers or weedkiller. They relied on their animal and farm waste as sources of organic manure. Their cocoa trees were intercropped with other food crops, which provided shade for the cocoa trees and food for the household, while replenishing soil nutrients movement to embed these methods into local sustainability initiatives. Rather than imposing them as ‘new’ Western-influenced standards, to boost cocoa productivity. Today, there is a growing
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