Figure of the week 1.5 million children work in cocoa cultivation
Despite decades of programs against child labour, 1.5 million children are still exposed to dangerous conditions in cocoa cultivation. This is particularly the case in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.
11.10.2025, 07:30
SDA
This is according to the latest Cocoa Barometer published by the Voice network and the development organization Solidaridad. The authors attribute this to systematic failures: although companies and certifiers have introduced programs such as training or premium models, these are primarily focused on control and combating symptoms instead of tackling the causes of poverty.
According to the report, most cocoa farmers are not benefiting from the current record prices on the global market. "As long as farmers do not earn a living income, child labor will remain a survival strategy for many families," the report states. The income gap is currently over 3,000 dollars per year.
The authors of the study therefore call for binding minimum prices and more transparency in the supply chains. Otherwise, the situation threatens to get worse.
