WEST AFRICACOCOA PROGRAMMEMONITORING REPORT

Fourth Edition

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTCOPYRIGHT, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS &DISCLAIMER
About Fairtrade International: Fairtrade International is a non-profit, multistakeholder association that promotes fairer conditions for international trade,
empowers small-scale farmers and workers, and fosters sustainable livelihoods.
Fairtrade International develops and maintains the internationally agreed FairtradeStandards, owns the FAIRTRADE Mark, and supports the international Fairtradesystem. Three regional Fairtrade producer networks representing more than 2
million farmers and workers co-own the international Fairtrade system, which also
includes the independent certification body FLOCERT, and Fairtrade organisations inmore than 30 countries that promote Fairtrade to business and consumers. For more
information, visit www.fairtrade.net

About Fairtrade Africa: Established in 2005, Fairtrade Africa (FTA) is the independent
non-profit umbrella organisation representing all Fairtrade certified producers in
Africa. Fairtrade Africa is owned by its members who produce traditional export
commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea, cotton, bananas, mangoes and non-traditionalcommodities including shea butter and rooibos tea. Currently, the organisation
represents over one million producers across 33 countries in Africa.

Copyright Fairtrade International 2024: All rights reserved. None of the material provided in this publication may be used,
reproduced, or transmitted, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,recording or the use of any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Fairtrade International.
The material presented here is for informational purposes only. Fairtrade International grants permission to use the information
for personal, non-commercial use, without any right to resell or redistribute information or to compile or create derivative works
therefrom.

Credits:
Data team: Dr Baba Adam (Fairtrade International), Teodora Mihaljcic (Fairtrade International), and the GeoDev team.
Editorial team: Dr Baba Adam (Fairtrade International), Dr Jesse Hastings (Fairtrade International), Jon Walker (Fairtrade
International), Dr. Rosamaria Mancini (Fairtrade International), Sonndia Ouattara (Fairtrade Africa), Abubakar Afful (Fairtrade
Africa),Design/layout: Alberto Martínez, Renderparty. Proofreading: Laura O’Mahony
Cover picture: Cocoa ECAKOOG Ivory Coast 2020, Côte d’Ivoire. Photographer: Christoph Köstlin© Fairtrade International

II

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTNOTE FROM FAIRTRADE AFRICA’SEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
We recognise in the report that we have further progress tomake with SPOs and their members that includes intensifying
training in more SPOs and working with them to reachmore of their farmer members through different innovative
approaches.

Isaac H. Tongola
Executive Director,
Fairtrade Africa

We are delighted to publish our fourth West Africa Cocoa
Programme (WACP) monitoring report. The WACP waslaunched in 2016 to support Fairtrade small-scale producer
organisations (SPOs) in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Sierra Leone
in 2022.
The WACP strengthens SPOs’ ability to comply with FairtradeStandards, strengthen their organisations through theformalisation of strategic plans and their organisations’responsiveness to their farmer members needs, participationby their farmer members in the SPO, and proactively
responding to the needs of their partners.
Through the framework of the Fairtrade Standards andassociated programmatic work, the WACP assists SPOs in theprocess of assessing risks connected to deforestation andhuman rights and environmental due diligence among others.
These are activities that SPOs increasingly need to focus on tomaintain their market access.
With over 48,000 attendances at WACP trainings in 2023,
we are making good progress on increasing the number of
SPO farmer members who benefit from the WACP with more
women and young people actively benefiting from thesetrainings.
This monitoring report, for which the data was collected
through interviews with SPO management and householdinterviews with the farmer members of those SPOs, shows
continued good progress on key indicators. SPO management
satisfaction with the WACP trainings they receive is highand the farmer members report that they find their own
organisations are open and respectful to the raising ofdifferent opinions.

In the forward to our third monitoring report in 2023, I
commented on inflation causing an explosion in the costsof production and living for Ghanaian and Ivorian farmers. In
2024, the cocoa industry has seen challenges in productionin those countries with many contributing factors including
climate change, El Niño, the rate of diseased trees accelerating
partly because of climate change, and competition for land
and labour from other economic activities, such as illegal
gold mining. Years of paying cocoa farmers below the cost ofsustainable production has reduced farmers’ resilience andhas increased the impact of these factors.
The farm gate price of cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana wasincreased by the Ivorian and Ghanaian government regulators
in April 2024. The farm gate price in Sierra Leone has also
increased. Fairtrade has long argued that prices paid forcocoa need to increase so that price plays its role, as partof a holistic approach, in farmers earning a living income.
While the price increases are welcome the circumstancesleading to them are not. Farmers producing less but sellingat a higher price will not necessarily achieve a higher income.
Fairtrade will therefore continue to work closely with SPOs
to contribute to initiatives that help address some of theidentified challenges, including adapting to the impact ofclimate change.
As the WACP evolves, we will continue to work in partnershipwith SPOs as they prepare for the regulatory demands ofthe EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and Human andEnvironmental Rights Due Diligence (HERDD). Our partnershipwith Satelligence will provide SPOs with access to high quality
deforestation risk analysis. We continue to focus on securingcommercial partnerships for SPOs and their members torelease the financial benefits of selling on Fairtrade terms.
We combine this with innovative commercial and donor
partnerships with SPOs on key topics such as human rights,
increasing household income and agroforestry, an overview ofwhich can be seen here.
However, Fairtrade and SPOs cannot do this work alone.
Governments, donors, exporters, importers, manufacturers,
brands, and retailers all have a role to play. We welcome
the successful partnerships we already have with thesestakeholders, and recognise the importance of expanding
them in number, scale and impact. Fairtrade and SPOs
will continue to work with these stakeholders to build asustainable cocoa sector. A sustainable cocoa sector will only
be achieved when cocoa farmers and their families can accessa living income.

IIIWest Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

72% OF SPO MEMBERS

IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE
AND 92% IN GHANA

SAY THEY ARE
ACTIVELY ENGAGEDIN HOW THEIRPREMIUM IS USED

48,876PARTICIPANTS
IN FAIRTRADE

TRAININGS IN 2023

REPRESENTING A

22% INCREASE
ON 2022

66% OF SPO MEMBERS

IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE
AND 95% IN GHANA

ARE RECEIVINGSERVICES FROM
THEIR RESPECTIVE SPOSCOCOA SALES ON

FAIRTRADE TERMS
INCREASED BY 3%

IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE

AND 9% IN GHANA

IV

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTTABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTION TO THE WEST AFRICA COCOA PROGRAMME (WACP)

1

INTRODUCTION TO WACP MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING (MEL) 

3

SPOS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE HIGH QUALITY TRAININGS RECEIVED FROM FAIRTRADE AFRICA
AND ARE INCREASINGLY GETTING THEIR TRAINING NEEDS MET5
SPO MANAGERS HAVE THE SKILLS, TRAINING AND CAPACITY TO RUN RESILIENT AND EFFECTIVE
COOPERATIVES8SPOS TAKE POSITIVE ACTION ON THE GROUND AS A RESULT OF WACP TRAININGS RECEIVED12

SPOS HAVE THE SYSTEMS, PROCESSES AND SERVICES IN PLACE TO DELIVER A FUNCTIONAL SPO
13
SPOS ARE EFFECTIVE AND RESILIENT AS BUSINESSES AND MORE RESPONSIVE TO MEMBERNEEDS17
SPOS ACHIEVE A STRONG PRODUCTION BASE AND ATTRACTIVE BUSINESS PROFILE, UNLOCKINGSUSTAINED ACCESS TO FAIRTRADE COCOA MARKETS
22
SPO MEMBERS PERCEIVE THEIR COOPERATIVE AS DEMOCRATIC, TRANSPARENT AND
PARTICIPATIVE23
SPO MEMBERS HAVE BUSINESS-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

25

SPO MEMBERS EMBRACE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY IN COCOA PRODUCTION AND
COMMUNITY LIFE

27

CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS

29

V

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTINTRODUCTION TO THE WEST AFRICACOCOA PROGRAMME (WACP)
Working with small-scale producer organisations (SPOs)
is central to Fairtrade’s approach of aiming to improve thelivelihoods of Fairtrade cocoa farmers. Baseline studies ofthe strength of SPOs in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire conducted in
2014-2015 indicated room for improvement1.
Therefore, in mid-2016, Fairtrade launched the West
Africa Cocoa Programme (WACP). The WACP seeks to build
strong and viable Fairtrade SPOs that are responsive totheir members’ and business partners’ needs. The WACP
is implemented in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Sierra Leone
by Fairtrade Africa (FTA), with support from Fairtrade
International. National Fairtrade Organisations (NFOs) incountries with markets for Fairtrade products relay theoutputs and outcomes of WACP to customers buying Fairtradecocoa. Consistent funding since mid-2016 for the WACP has
enabled the FTA team in West Africa to grow its personnel
capacity both in terms of numbers and skills. Institutional
strength and knowledge have also been built up.
A mid-term external assessment published in 2022 showed
clear evidence that SPOs participating in the WACP were more
effective and resilient businesses and responsive to theirmember’s needs. SPOs had greater skills and confidence inaccessing Fairtrade markets. However, sustained growth inFairtrade sales had yet to be achieved.
The inability of SPOs to sustain growth in Fairtrade sales
reflects a very large oversupply of Fairtrade cocoa anda decline in demand following the 2019 increases in the
Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium. Fairtrade sales
rebounded in 2021 and maintained approximately the same
volume globally in 2022. However, in 2022 the highest everFairtrade Minimum Price differential in Côte d’Ivoire led to adecrease in volumes sold from that country.
SPO members were also found to be diversifying theirincome. Further work on enabling SPO access to child labourand forced labour monitoring and remediation systems
and deforestation risk assessments were recommended
by the external assessment. This was addressed throughnew Fairtrade Cocoa Standard requirements publishedafter consultation in December 2022 and the accompanying
Fairtrade child labour prevention and remediation programme.
In 2023, Fairtrade announced a partnership with Satelligenceto provide all SPOs with access to satellite deforestation risk
monitoring data.
The main WACP interventions are trainings, coaching andadvisory and technical support for SPOs and peer-topeer learning. SPOs receiving trainings under the WACP
are stratified into one of four levels. These levels aredifferentiated by level of service and intensity/type oftraining. Stratification of SPOs into levels is based on theindividual SPO’s volume of sales on Fairtrade terms, lengthof time certified, the permanency of contracts to sell on
Fairtrade terms, and the amount of WACP training alreadyreceived among other factors. This stratification (rather
than all Fairtrade cocoa SPOs receiving the highest intensityof trainings) has been necessary due to budget restrictions
and the increasing number of Fairtrade certified SPOs in
Côte d’Ivoire. All SPOs receive basic group trainings focusedon supporting the SPOs with maintaining their Fairtradecertification and adhering to the relevant Standards, including
the SPO Standard and the Cocoa Standard.
At the highest intensity, the trainings are informed by priorneeds assessments and include intensive thematic coachingthat builds capacity in such subjects as compliance with the
OHADA Law (Organisation pour l’harmonisation en Afriquedu droit des affaires, which translates as Organisation
for the Harmonisation of Corporate Law in Africa), Child
Rights, Gender Inclusion, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs),
Internal Management Systems (IMS), Human Rights andEnvironmental Due Diligence (HREDD), Financial Management
and enhancing member outreach among other interventions.
The WACP training interventions seek to strengthen the skillsof both the SPO’s management and the members themselves.
Training modules are explicitly designed for the West Africancocoa context and regularly updated with new subjects as aresult of the evolving nature of the Fairtrade Standards andthe cocoa landscape.

Sierra Leone
Côte d’Ivoire
Ghana

In 2022 and 2023, the WACP training interventions wereexpanded further reflecting the new Fairtrade Cocoa Standard
published in December 2022. Key new topics include Human

1. Available at https://www.fairtrade.net/library/baseline-for-assessing-the-impact-of-fairtrade-certification-on-cocoa-growers-and-cooperatives-in-cote-divoire
and https://www.fairtrade.net/library/baseline-for-assessing-the-impact-of-fairtrade-certification-on-cocoa-farmers-and-cooperatives-in-ghana1West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTGHANA
01 Post-graduate

PrimaryCore certification workshop + Strategic support + Annual
General Meeting (AGM) + Village Savings and Loans
Association (VLSA) + 2 thematic + 2 follow-up

Secondary with special projects

Core certification workshop + Strategic support + AGM + 1
thematic + 1 follow-up

SecondaryCore certification workshop + Strategic support + AGM +One-on-One coaching

OutersCore certification workshop only

Post-graduate

Core certification workshop + Strategic support + AGM +other services based on needs

PrimaryCore certification workshop + Strategic support + AGM +2 thematic + 2 follow-up

Secondary with special projects

Core certification workshop + Strategic support + AGM + 1
thematic + 1 follow-up

SecondaryCore certification workshop + Strategic support + Oneon-One coaching

OutersCore certification workshop

Post-graduate

Core certification workshop + Strategic support + AGM +other services based on needs

SecondaryCore certification workshop + One-on-One coaching

01 Outers

04 Secondary
01 Secondarywith special projects

01 PrimaryCÔTE D’IVOIRE
07 Post-graduate

171 Outers

45 Secondary
09 Secondarywith special projects

21 Primary

SIERRA LEONE

19 Secondary

Rights and Environmental Due Diligence, deforestation,
traceability and transparency, and sharecroppers.
The training sessions in 2023 attracted a total of 48,876
participants, comprising 37,064 males and 11,812 females,
representing a female participation rate of 24.2 percent.
Moreover, the overall training attendance experienced asignificant 22 percent increase compared to the previous year.

In 2023, we saw a further increase in trainings cascadedby SPOs to their members from 17,546 in 2022 to 20,530 in
2023. This increase has been possible due to the continuous
efforts FTA has put into working with the SPOs to mainstream
this cascading of trainings into SPOs’ annual plans andculture. Through this methodology we increase the numberof SPO members reached and build the capacity of SPOs
to implement training. We will seek to understand if thisincreases the sustainability of the WACP.

2

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTINTRODUCTION TO WACP MONITORING,EVALUATION AND LEARNING (MEL)The WACP Theory of Change (ToC) outlines the activities andanticipated outputs, outcomes and impacts that Fairtradeenvisions for the programme. The original WACP ToC wascrafted in 2016 and 2017 following consultations with smallscale producer organisations (SPOs) and their members.
The current ToC presented here was formulated in 2021,
informed by three years of monitoring and evaluation andextensive consultations involving Fairtrade Africa, Fairtrade
International, external consultants, and the cooperatives
themselves.

IMPACTOUTPUTS

INTERVENTIONS

Cooperative members perceive their cooperative to be democratic,transparent and participative; they have business-related knowledge andskills, and embrace the principles of economic, social and environmental
sustainability in cocoa production and community life

Cocoa traders and commercial
brands make sourcing andpartnering decisions favouring
effective and resilient
cooperatives

Cooperatives are effective and resilient as businesses and more responsive totheir members’ needs

Retailers and commercial
brands work with cocoa traders
to prioritise sourcing andpartnering with effective andresilient cooperatives

Cooperatives havethe systems,
processes andtraining programmes
in place to deliver afunctional
cooperative

Retailers and commercial
brands understand benefits of
WACP, engaging with more
effective and resilient
cooperatives in sourcing andcommercial partnerships

Cooperative
managers have theskills, training andcapacity to run
strong and effective
cooperatives

Cooperatives takeaction to improvetheir cooperatives asa result of trainings
received

Training provided to co-ops by Fairtrade Africa on Standard compliance,
organisational strengthening and thematic subjects (financial andoperational management, GAPs or empowerment of women, etc.)

National Fairtrade
Organisations (NFOs) engage
with retailers and commercial
brands; communicate benefitsof WACP and of effective andresilient cooperatives

INCREASING INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORSSHORT-TERM
OUTCOME

Cooperatives achieve a strong production base and attractive business profile, unlocking sustained access to
Fairtrade cocoa markets

DECREASING INFLUENCE OF PROGRAMMATIC FACTORSMEDIUM-TERM
OUTCOMEThe current WACP Theory of Change primarily focuses on
the effectiveness and resilience of SPOs as businesses andthe empowerment of SPO members as its key outcomes.
The notion of SPOs being responsive to their members aligns
closely with Fairtrade’s core values. Ultimately, WACP aims toestablish enduring relationships between consumer brands,
retailers, traders and SPOs, fostering a mutual understandingthat leads to a robust production base and sustained accessto Fairtrade markets.

West Africa Cocoa Programme Theory of Change

3

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTIn 2017, Fairtrade International and Fairtrade Africa initiated acomprehensive effort to monitor the impact of WACP on SPOs
and their cocoa farmers. Indicators were developed basedon the WACP ToC and input from relevant stakeholders. Data
collection focused on SPOs in “key supply chains.” In otherwords, those SPOs within WACP supplying significant volumes
to commercial brands.
Annual monitoring rounds occurred between 2018 and 2022,
collecting data on agreed indicators from 35 SPOs in 2018,
28 in 2019, 30 in 2020, 37 in 2022, and 36 in 2023. More than
3,000 SPO staff and members were sampled during thismulti-year period. Learning workshops, both bilateral andlarge-scale, have been conducted with Fairtrade Africa, key

National Fairtrade Organisations (NFOs), consumer brands
and SPOs.
The majority of sampled small-scale producer organisations(SPOs) and their members are from Côte d’Ivoire with only asmall minority from Ghana. It’s important to note that, for the
first time in 2023, data collection was extended to SPOs in
Sierra Leone. This report presents a separate analysis for all
three countries. While all SPOs in the sample were surveyed
at management level every year, only one-third to a half hadsome of their members sampled at household level annually.
The monitoring data is primarily derived from respondent
records and recall, meaning that some recall errors can occur.

2014 - 2015
· Baseline studies showing need for strengthening ofFairtrade cocoa SPOs
· Conceptualisation of West Africa Cocoa Programme2016· Launch of the West Africa Cocoa Programme· Trainings with SPOs begin

2017· WACP Theory of Change fully developed· Monitoring indicators determined· Data collection approach developed

2021 - 2022
· Update of Theory of Change and monitoring indicators· Digitisation of data collection tools· Learning workshops with WACP SPOs, commercial brands· Publication of second edition of WACP monitoring report· Annual monitoring at SPO and membership level2023· Data collected on updated Theory of Change· SPO training on the new Fairtrade Cocoa Standard· Annual monitoring at SPO and membership level,
including expansion to Sierra Leone

2018 - 2020

· Publication of third edition of WACP monitoring report· Annual monitoring at SPO and member level· New Fairtrade Cocoa Standard published in
December 2022 with key topics including Human Rights
and Environmental Due Diligence, deforestation,
traceability and transparency and sharecroppers.
West Africa Cocoa Programme training for SPO
incorporates these new topics.

· Learning workshops with WACP SPOs,
commercial brands· Publication of first edition of WACP Monitoring Report· External evaluation of WACP

2024
· Publication of fourth edition of WACP monitoring report· Learning workshop with WACP SPOs andcommercial partners at cocoa forum in Côte d’Ivoire· Cocoa Household Income Study in Côte d’Ivoire

Timeline of WACP MEL Activities

4West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPOS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE HIGH QUALITY TRAININGS RECEIVED FROMFAIRTRADE AFRICA AND ARE INCREASINGLY GETTING THEIR TRAINING NEEDS METTRAININGS PROVIDED BY FAIRTRADE AFRICA TO SPOS COVER A BROAD RANGE OF TOPICS AND REACHTENS OF THOUSANDS OF SPO MEMBERS
The trainings offered by Fairtrade Africa to SPOs encompass
a diverse range of topics and methodologies aimed atenhancing the capacity and skills of participants acrossvarious areas. Through joint planning meetings, teammembers collaboratively align strategies and goals to ensurecohesive and effective implementation. The trainings can
include:• Thematic training sessions designed for SPO staff andmembers covering topics such as Good Agricultural
Practices, climate change, child labour, Village Savingsand Loans Associations, Internal Management Systems,
governance, and membership engagement. These
trainings aim to equip both staff and members withessential skills and knowledge to effectively manage theirorganisations and engage with their members.

• Certification advisory support, which primarily targets
SPO leadership, SPO certification managers, and the SPO
trainers. These training sessions aim to enhance thecapacities of these key stakeholders to comply with the
Fairtrade Standards and support SPO members in meetingcompliance requirements.

• Direct engagement with SPO members at community levelon the aforementioned topics, facilitated by Fairtrade
Africa staff and SPO staff. These engagements serve toreinforce the learnings and address specific challenges
faced by community members, promoting sustainable
practices and community development.

• One-on-one coaching and community engagement
initiatives directed towards SPO members. These
personalised coaching sessions and community
engagements focus on empowering individual memberswith the knowledge and skills needed to navigate various
challenges and opportunities within their communities.

Côte d’ivoire

Ghana

Sierra Leone• Women’s empowerment initiatives are integrated
throughout the WACP curriculum, complemented by
the Fairtrade Women’s School of Leadership, which isoperational in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. These efforts aim
to empower women, promote gender equality and foster
inclusive growth and development.

14

52

33

1,533

514

765

64

171

1,339

675

4

3,236

927

76

445

279

4,675

2,997

250

146

707

3,980

446

61

16,830

2,026

2

54

2

251

522

295

10

54

170

574

13

147

332

22

208

26

419

1,016

139

34

102

375

687

52

332

927

0

11

2

45

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

65

0

47

48

239

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

204

TOTAL

18000

20,530

Number of Participants Reached

15000

12000

9000
TOTAL

7,162
TOTAL

5,864

TOTAL

6000

5,049

TOTAL

3,701
TOTAL

3000

TOTAL

TOTAL
TOTAL

0

2,382

114

Joint Planning
Meetings

1,449

817

TOTAL

FairtradeStandards
Training

Fair InsightTraining(a reporting
tool)

TOTAL

TOTAL

1,034

254

390

One-on-one
Coaching

AGM and
Strategic
SupportVSLA
Training
andFollow-up

Peer-to-peer Thematic
Learning Training (e.g.
child labour,
etc.)

TOTAL

130

Thematic Women andTraining of Cascading by
Follow-ups
YouthTrainers for
ToTs
Empowerment Cascading(ToTs)

OtherTopics

5West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPO MANAGERS ARE HIGHLY SATISFIED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE WACP TRAININGS
Every SPO manager surveyed in all three countries throughout
the multi-year monitoring period (2018–2023) consistently

reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with thetrainings modules provided through the WACP.

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

2018

2019

2020

2022

2023

Ghana

Sierra Leone

100%

0%

Côte d’Ivoire

All SPO managers surveyed in the three countries throughout the multi-year monitoring period were satisfied or very satisfied with thequality of WACP trainings.

SPO MANAGERS ARE GETTING THEIR TRAINING NEEDS METof training topics chosen by SPOs. In Ghana, there was asignificant improvement compared to 2022. This was due
to a combination of flexibility from the FTA team to provide
additional support to SPOs and the SPOs’ own willingness
to contribute to the costs of support for topics they deemed
critical once our own budget was exhausted. In our view,
this willingness shows that these SPOs want to progress byinvesting in the capacities of their members.

In 2022, both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana experienced a reductionin the percentage of SPO managers indicating that WACP met
their most important training needs, with decreases to 65
percent and 33 percent, respectively.
The 2023 data shows a significant improvement in Ghana.
While the result in Côte d’Ivoire has risen to 69 percent, theFTA team believes this can still be improved. New SPOs thatcame onboard in 2022 continued to expect more support
in 2023 than the programme could offer due to budget
constraints. Additionally, due to a number of global priorities,
such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation(EUDR) and Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence(HREDD), FTA focused some attention on these topics inorder to prepare the SPOs for compliance. This reduced
the time that would have been used soley for the provision

Meanwhile, with data available only for 2023, SPOs sampled
in Sierra Leone reported that their training needs were met.
Sierra Leonian SPOs have seen a significant increase insupport from Fairtrade in recent years as our support has
transitioned from remote support to physical support. We
have observed significant improvement in the organisation,
structure and performance of the SPOs.
100% 100%

100%
81%

80%

67%

69%

65%

59%

60%

33%

40%
22%

20%
0%

2018
Côte d’Ivoire

2019

2020

Ghana

Sierra Leone

2022

2023

In 2022, there was a pronounced decrease in the percentage of SPO managers reporting that their training needs were met. This waslargely attributed to the inclusion of new SPOs in WACP. However, the 2023 results show a significant upturn, signifying the success of atargeted training programme designed to address the specific needs of the SPOs.

6

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Adu Kwasi Bennett, President, West Akyem Cocoa Cooperative,
Ghana“Thanks to the WACP, our cooperative has undergone atransformative journey. The series of trainings provided haveempowered us with knowledge and skills essential for sustainablecocoa farming. WACP’s interventions have been instrumental in
shaping our cooperative’s governance structure. From the society
level to the overarching union level, we now boast a robust
governance framework, ensuring transparency and accountability.
The trainings facilitated by WACP have not only enriched ourunderstanding of cocoa farming techniques but have also instilled
a sense of unity and cohesion within our cooperative. We standstronger together, thanks to WACP’s support. The impact of WACP’s
interventions on our cooperative cannot be overstated. Throughtheir guidance and expertise, we have not only enhanced our cocoa
production practices but have also fostered a culture of continuous
improvement and innovation. WACP has been a cornerstone in thedevelopment of our cooperative. Their unwavering support andcommitment to the cocoa cooperatives have laid the foundation forour success.”

Didier Amichia Agniful , Sustainability Manager, KAPATCHIVA
COOP-CA , Côte d’Ivoire“FTA staff support has been essential in reducing non-conformities
after audits and preserving Fairtrade certificates for producers
as we have been able to better understand and put the different
requirements of the Fairtrade Standards into practice thanks to thevarious training courses. Fairtrade Africa training has encouraged
our cooperative to take ownership of the collection and analysis
of our own data. This enables us to better understand our internal
challenges and to meet Fairtrade’s expectations. We are also able
to control the information collected from our members. Thanks
to the training, we have set up a systematic approach to including
young people. We have five young people on the 11-member Boardof Directors. This initiative aims to create an environment conduciveto the meaningful inclusion of young people in decision-making
within our producer organisation. We can point to the Fairtrade
Africa Women’s Leadership School as just one example of a project
which led to the creation of women’s associations within our
cooperative. The women launched income-generating activities(IGAs) and advocated for gender equality in value chains. We
hope to continue to receiving support from FTA on managing ourcooperative, including team management and working remotelywith your team.”7

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPO MANAGERS HAVE THE SKILLS, TRAINING AND CAPACITY TO RUNRESILIENT AND EFFECTIVE COOPERATIVESWACP TRAININGS ARE BUILDING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF SPO MANAGERS, WHILE SPO CAPACITY
TO DEAL WITH CORE THEMES IS HIGH
The overall picture of knowledge and skills among WACPSPOs across the three countries unfolds as a positive andprogressive journey across various specific themes such as
governance, management, gender equality, prevention ofchild labour, and adherence to the Fairtrade Standards. From2018 to 2023, SPOs managers have consistently reported highscores in their knowledge and skills. In 2023, the overall selfreported scores reached 4.0 in Côte d’Ivoire, 4.6 in Ghana, and
4.3 in Sierra Leone, indicating a collective sense of proficiency
and competence.

In 2023, we observed that some of the SPOs had a high staff
turnover and lost some experienced managers. As a result,
FTA team members needed to retrain the newly recruitedmanagers of these SPOS.

Consistently high scores in SPO Governance and Management
reflect robust leadership and organisational capabilities. The
heightened emphasis on Ensuring Gender Equality further
underscores an evolving dedication to cultivating equitableenvironments within these organisations.

Fairtrade’s new child labour and forced labour prevention andremediation programme will provide some resources for SPOs
for prevention and remediation activities. However, it will nothave the resources to meet all SPOs’ needs.

New requirements in the Fairtrade Cocoa Standard mean all
Ivorian and Ghanaian SPOs have to implement Child Labour
Monitoring and Remediation Systems in a progressive
way starting in 2024. This will require the SPOs, with theircommercial partners, to mobilise resources.

Improvements were made in the scores of Ghanaian and
Sierra Leonean SPOs compared to 2022. As mentioned
previously the Fairtrade Africa team was able to respond to
SPO demands and, where our own budget was exhausted,
SPOs contributed to training costs. Additionally, Fairtrade
Africa in Ghana and Sierra Leone supported several of the
SPOs to access donor funds to implement projects that help toaddress the needs of these SPOs.

The monitoring data also shows an overall increase in termsof self-reported financial and human capacity among the
SPOs to address the above-mentioned themes. These positive
trends signify sustained efforts to enhance knowledge, skills
and capacity, ultimately contributing to the development andsustainability of SPOs.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the scores across the various topics remained
almost the same or, in some cases, a bit lower compared to2022, especially around child labour and SPO management.

Côte d’Ivoire

Average self-reported score given by SPO managers

5.0
4.4

4.5
4.1

4.0 4.0

4.0
3.5

3.7
3.5
3.3

3.7
3.5 3.4

3.9

3.9 3.7
3.8

4.0

4.3 4.3

4.1

3.9 3.9
3.7
3.7

3.8

3.9

4.0

4.1
3.8
3.73.7

4.0

2018
2019

3.0

2020

2.5
2.0

2022

1.5
1.0

2023

0.5
0.0

SPO
Governance

SPO
Ensuring
Preventing
Management Gender Equality Child Labour

Adhering toFairtradeStandards

Overallacross all
categories

8

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Ghana
5.0

5.0

Average self-reported score given by SPO managers

5.0
4.5
4.0

4.5
4.2
4.0

4.3

4.5

4.7 4.7

4.5

4.0

4.2 4.3

4.5

4.3

4.4

4.6

4.0

3.5

2020

3.0
2.5

2022

2.0

2023

1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0

SPO
Governance

SPO
Ensuring
Preventing
Management Gender Equality Child Labour

Adhering toFairtradeStandards

Overallacross all
categories

Sierra Leone

Average self-reported score given by SPO managers

5.0
4.3

4.5
4.0

4.0

4.3
4.0

4.5

4.5

4.3

4.2

4.0

4.0

3.5
3.0
2.5

2022

2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0

SPO
Governance

SPO
Ensuring
Preventing
Management Gender Equality Child Labour

Adhering toFairtradeStandards

Overallacross all
categories

Average self-reported score given by SPO managers (1 – 5, 1 = lowest, 5 = highest) on knowledge and skills of five different dimensions
covered in WACP. We see consistently high scores over time.

We believe that by 2026, especially for SPOs onboarded in
2022, it will be time to graduate from their primary training
categorisation. Some of those SPOs are already in long-term
partnerships with brands or retailers, something we hope all
SPOs will have in the future. This will allow for a number of
SPOs in other categories such as secondary or outer to benefit
from more intensive training from 2026.

Fairtrade Africa will use 2024 and 2025 to continue to support
SPOs already in the primary category to improve their scores.
These SPOs will also be supported to look for donor andcommercial partner funds to support the implementationof activities that would augment the training and support
provided under WACP.

9

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Côte d’Ivoire
Average self-reported score given by SPO managers

5.0
4.4

4.5
4.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

4.1

4.0

3.5
3.0

2022

2.5
2.0

2023

1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0

SPO
Governance

SPO
Ensuring
Preventing
Management Gender Equality Child Labour

Ghana
4.5

Adhering toFairtradeStandards

Overallacross all
categories

5.0

5.0

Average self-reported score given by SPO managers

4.3
4.0

4.7
4.3

4.3

4.5

4.6
4.3

4.2

4.2

4.2

4.2

4.3

4.0
3.5
3.0

2022

2.5
2.0

2023

1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0

SPO
Governance

SPO
Ensuring
Preventing
Management Gender Equality Child Labour

Adhering toFairtradeStandards

Overallacross all
categories

Sierra Leone
Average self-reported score given by SPO managers

5.0
4.5

4.3

4.3

4.5

4.5
4.0

4.3

4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5

2023

2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0

SPO
Governance

SPO
Ensuring
Preventing
Management Gender Equality Child Labour

Adhering toFairtradeStandards

Overallacross all
categories

Average self-reported score given by SPO managers (1 – 5, 1 = lowest, 5 = highest) in terms of their SPO’s financial and human capacity
to address five different dimensions covered in WACP. Notably, in 2023, these scores indicate a robust capacity of SPOs to effectively
address various topics affecting the organisation and its members.

10

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Ginette Kouame, Manager, ECAKOOG, Côte d’Ivoire“The WACP training courses enabled our members to build theircapacities and acquire new skills and knowledge in management,
governance and resilience in the face of climate change.
Participants received follow-up support to implement what they
had learned in their income-generating activities. Thanks to thesetraining courses, we have strengthened our collective capacities as
producer and worker organisations, which has had a positive impact
on our Internal Management System. The training courses have hada significant impact on our internal governance. They have helped
strengthen our structure and practices. The training courses haveraised our members’ awareness of the principle of transparency.
They have targeted our executives and Board members. Theyacquired essential skills in decision-making, conflict management
and leadership. This has improved our ability to manage ourorganisation effectively. The training also focused on soundfinancial management. We learned how to draw up budgets, track
our spending and manage our resources responsibly. The training
courses have encouraged the active participation of all members indecision-making processes. We organise a general assembly where
everyone can express their views and vote on important issues.
Thanks to Fairtrade Africa’s training courses, our leaders are better
prepared and our organisation is stronger.”

Isata Koroma, Certification Focal Person, Luklohebu Cocoa
Farmers’ Association, Sierra Leone“At Luklohebu Cocoa Farmers’ Association, my role is to support
the producer organisation to remain Fairtrade certified. To carryout this responsibility, I needed an in-depth understanding of the
Fairtrade Standards, their scope and application. I have never had
the opportunity of attending a more organised Standards training tolook into the Standards chapter by chapter. I struggled a lot with theinterpretation of the Fairtrade SPO Standards until Fairtrade started
providing support designed to address those gaps. Currently, I havebeen providing capacity building on the Standards for my InternalManagement Systems colleagues and also supporting farmers to
implement the Standards. With Fairtrade we will jointly build thefuture of Sierra Leone producers to be a centre for excellence.”11

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPOS TAKE POSITIVE ACTION ON THE GROUND AS A RESULT OF WACP
TRAININGS RECEIVED
WACP TRAININGS ARE CATALYSING IMPROVEMENTS IN SPOS AND WITH MEMBERS
The WACP training initiatives are propelling SPOs to actively
support their members while reinforcing the organisational
structure and enriching the knowledge and skills of SPO
managers. By 2022, all SPO managers in Côte d’Ivoire andGhana reported that the WACP trainings contributed directly
to positive improvements in their SPO. This trend continued
in 2023, including Sierra Leone. The reported improvements
include the promotion of diversification for increased
household income, the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices(GAPs), improved SPO management, enhanced adherence toFairtrade Standards and more. Many of these advancements
were facilitated by SPO staff ‘cascading’ the training to theirmembers.
FTA continues to see significant improvement in the cascadingof training by SPOs to their members. This has been adeliberate approach. In 2023, contracts were signed witheach SPO committing them to provide this support to their

Percentage (%) of SPO managers saying that
WACP trainings resulted in positive improvements

100%

members and reporting the outcome to FTA.
Dedicated trainers at each SPO are supported to do theirwork and report accordingly. As a result of this approach, FTA
saw an improvement of about 20 percent in the number ofmembers reached by SPO trainers.
In 2024, FTA plans to deepen this approach in order to reachmore SPOs beyond the Primary category and particularly
some Secondary SPOs. This is to ensure that more and more
responsibilities are given to the SPOs to make sure that theirmembers are reached with training. FTA also plans to institutean award system to reward and highlight cooperatives
that are doing well, not only in cascading but by generally
providing good service to their members. This would bedone during the joint planning meetings where SPOs would
be required to peer review each other and judge the best
performing SPOs.

100%
100%

90%

100%
100%

100%
100%
100%

2022

2023

89%

80%
80%

2018

2019

2020

Côte d’Ivoire

Ghana

Sierra Leone

All SPOs surveyed in 2023 across all countries reported that the improvements in their organisations were directly linked to Fairtrade
training. This reaffirms a consistent trend over the years, demonstrating the sustained effectiveness and positive influence of the
training programmes.

12

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Daniel Amponsah, past President, Asunafo North Union deliveringa speech at a national REDD+ platform“We have benefitted tremendously from the programme in termsof organisational strengthening, strong and functional internalmanagement systems, climate smart and good agricultural practices
as well as other social practices such as gender, child labour andworkers’ rights. The Asunafo North Union has also improved
greatly regarding compliance with Fairtrade Standards throughthe establishment of various compliance structures, training andcoaching of farmers, staff and our technical officers. The gamechanger is that the WACP programme has empowered us in termsof engaging and influencing national, regional and global policies in
the cocoa sector. In addition to the training, the WACP involved thecocoa farmers from our union in the initial stages of discussions on
Living Income, the Fairtrade Living Income Reference Price, Human
Rights and Environmental Due Diligence as well as the European
Union Deforestation Regulation. This empowered the union and its
members and made us the central producer voice as far as cocoa isconcern. I was a key advocate for getting Living Income on the agenda
at the European Parliament and various cocoa forums in Brussels andAmsterdam between 2022 and 2023.”

SPOS HAVE THE SYSTEMS, PROCESSES AND SERVICES IN PLACE TO DELIVER A
FUNCTIONAL SPO
IMPROVING SPO ABILITY TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSIn Côte d’Ivoire, there was a declining trend between 2018 and2020 in the percentage of SPOs with the capability to maintainan Internal Management System (IMS) with up-to-daterecords of their members. We saw a positive shift in 2022 with
97 percent of SPOs operating an IMS. This trend continued in
2023 when all SPOs reported having an IMS in place.
All Ghanaian SPOs sampled over the years have consistently
maintained their IMS. Similarly, in Sierra Leone in 2023, allsampled SPOs had successfully implemented and wereoperating an Internal Management System.
In January 2024, significant new requirements in the revised
Fairtrade Cocoa Standard on geolocation data management
and tracing cocoa beans became active for African SPOs. The
Fairtrade requirements on geolocation data mirror those of
the European Union Deforestation Regulation. This will requirea higher level of effort and resources from SPOs. From 2024,
the WACP now incorporates a plan to support SPOs in specificareas related to this work while recognising that Fairtradedoes not have the resources to support all the needs of SPOs.
The Fairtrade Cocoa Standard itself requires exporters thathave already collected geolocation data to share it with SPOs
to avoid duplication of effort.

It is important to state that there is a significant variation inreadiness among SPOs for the EUDR and a lot of support for
SPOs is required from business, governments and donors to
help them deal with it. This support is currently not available
in a consistent way.
From January 2025, significant new requirements for SPOs on
SPO member data management will become active. During2024, we will work with SPOs to create relevant training
material for them, which will be incorporated in the WACP.
In 2023, the project with Farmforce to digitalise management
systems in Côte d’Ivoire ended. The project highlighted thebenefits to SPOs of owning their own digitalised management
systems. Ginette Kouame, Manager of ECAKOOG in Côte
d’Ivoire, highlighted the impact of acquiring the software
package (Farmforce) through a pilot with Fairtrade: “Thanks
to the training courses, we have set up a data management
system that enables us to collect, store and analyse
geographical information for our activities. We have learned
how to collect geolocation data accurately. This includes
using tools to record the locations of farms, cooperatives andinfrastructures. With geolocation, we can track the supply
chain of our products from farms to end consumers. This
enables us to ensure traceability and guarantee that our
products comply with ethical and environmental standards.

13

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Percentage (%) of SPOs with a complete IMS in place

This will not only help us to be EUDR compliant but also toaccess future market opportunities.”

100%

Fairtrade continues to work with Farmforce in Latin America
and the Carribean. We continue to seek donor funding to
expand the implementation of digital management systems
with SPOs in West Africa.

100%

100%

97%

96%

100%
100%
100%

80%

74%

60%

2018

2019

Côte d’Ivoire

2020

Ghana

2022

2023

Sierra Leone

All SPOs surveyed in 2023 across the three countries reported having an operational Internal Management System in place. This
underscores the widespread adoption and functionality of these systems among SPOs, reflecting their commitment to effective
organisational management.

SPOS ARE ALMOST UNIVERSALLY USING BUSINESS STRATEGIES OR PLANS TO GUIDE THEIR DECISIONSThe WACP training includes the creation of a three-year or
five-year strategic plan with each SPO. These are reviewed
annually and FTA also provides technical guidance during theyear.
SPOs across all countries have universally embraced theuse of business strategies or plans as integral tools in theirdecision-making processes, showing a robust commitment
to strategic planning. Côte d’Ivoire, in particular, exhibits
a positive trend with all sampled SPOs implementing anapproved business strategy in 2023.
In Ghana, a similar trend was observed in 2022 with all
sampled SPOs using business strategies or plans to guidetheir decisions. However, this figure dropped to 83 percent
in 2023. This downturn may be attributed to the fact thatsome SPOs in Ghana were in the process of completing new
strategic plans following the expiry of their old ones. SPOs
sometimes rely on their Fairtrade Development Plans, which
are based on the needs of their members, and then revert
back to their revised strategic plans once approved by their
General Assemblies.

While there are similarities in the strategic plans of SPOs in
both countries, there are also differences. These reflect theindividual national regulations under which Ghanaian andIvorian SPOs operate:• Ghanaian SPOs cannot trade cocoa according to
Ghanaian law. However, FTA has observed some Ghanaian
Fairtrade SPOs setting up a separate but jointly owned
Licensed Buying Company. These entities are allowed to
trade cocoa.
• Ghanaian SPOs do not generate income from cocoa
trading. FTA has observed that they invest in income
generating activities to fund SPO activities and services
for their members. This has included building and renting
office blocks and accommodation, and operating guest
houses. It’s a positive development as it reduces SPO
reliance on Fairtrade Premiums to cover operational costs.
• Ivorian SPOs often include in their strategic plan
activities to strengthen the SPO’s capacity to trade cocoa,
for example, by investing in warehouses or trucks.

14

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT• Both Ghanaian and Ivorian SPOs often include thedevelopment of on- and off-farm income diversification
and/or on-farm food crop projects for their members intheir strategic plans.

• Preparation for new regulations, including EUDR,HREDD and the African Regional Standard.
• Exploring how EUDR requirements on geolocation
data and the satellite deforestation data that SPOs
will be provided with through the partnership between
Fairtrade and Satelligence can become catalysts for wider
digitalisation in SPOs.

In 2024 and 2025, FTA will continue to work with SPOs toreview and revise their strategic plans where necessary withparticular focus on supporting SPOs in the following areas:

Percentage (%) of SPOs using business strategies or plans to guide decisions• The importance of SPO investment in their staff onwhom the executives rely.

97%
100%

100%

85%

100%

85%
83%

80%
75%

74%

60%

2018

2019

Côte d’Ivoire

2020

Ghana

2022

2023

Sierra Leone

A majority of SPOs in all three countries reported using business strategies or plans to guide their decision-making.

SPOS ARE MAKING USEFUL SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEIR MEMBERS
In Côte d’Ivoire, the percentage of SPO members who reported
receiving services from their respective SPOs stood at 83
percent in 2022. However, this percentage experienced
a notable decrease in 2023, dropping to 66 percent. An
examination of the scores of each SPO surveyed revealed
that 80–90 percent of SPO members in some SPOs received
at least one service but that there was also a cluster of lower
scoring SPOs. We will be seeking to understand the reasons
behind this range of scores in more detail.
Conversely, in Ghana, there is a significant increase in theprovision of cooperative services. The data indicates that 88
percent of sampled households received at least one service
in 2022, and this figure increased to an impressive 95 percent
in 2023. The positive trend in Ghana highlights an enhanced
relationship between members and their SPOs, with anincreasing number of members benefitting from the diverse

services offered. A number of Ghanaian SPOs also benefitted
from projects financed by donors and commercial partners
and implemented by FTA.
Furthermore, insights from focus group discussions in
Ghana provide additional context to the aforementioned
results. Participants highlighted the positive impact of Village
Savings and Loans Associations on improving the wellbeingof their households and communities. They noted increased
agricultural productivity due to access to fertilisers, pesticides
and farm tools provided by the SPOs. Additionally, theconstruction of a clinic through Fairtrade support improved
healthcare access, while the distribution of school kitsfacilitated easier access to education for children. Moreover,the installation of a village pump by the SPOs reduced theburden of fetching water from distant rivers, enhancing
overall community wellbeing.

15

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

2022

2023
83 %

Côte d’Ivoire

88 %

Ghana

95 %

66 %

Côte d’Ivoire

Ghana

A total of 95 percent of surveyed SPO members in Ghana and 66 percent in Côte d’Ivoire reported receiving at least one service from their
SPO.

Antoine Pierre Daleba, Group Administrator, CPR CANAAN COOP
CA, Côte d’Ivoire“The Fairtrade Africa training has helped us improve our InternalManagement System. It’s now very well organised and we are able
to detect any shortcomings or flaws in it. We have all the informationand important documents we need to operate it properly and we also
carry out regular monitoring of our various activities through the IMS.”

Dominic Appiah, Secretary, Kukuom Cocoa Farmers’ Union,
Ghana“The Kukuom Union is very grateful to Fairtrade Africa for making ita beneficiary of the West Africa Cocoa Programme. The WACP has
helped to build this organisation into a professional and resilient
one. We started our journey with the WACP team as an ambitious
cocoa producer organisation but we lacked the structures andelements to make us profitable and resilient. The WACP teamin Ghana trained and supported us to establish accountable
and transparent governance structures as well as an InternalManagement System to help us become more compliant. Now,
every single governance structure within the organisation is verymuch aware of its responsibilities and performing its duties very
well, thanks to the governance and organisational strengthening
support from WACP. We have been able to develop a strategicplan and annual Fairtrade development plans that have guided us
to achieve a lot. Most importantly, these plans, which reflect theneeds of our members, are being implemented in a transparent andaccountable manner.”

16

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPOS ARE EFFECTIVE AND RESILIENT AS BUSINESSES AND MORE RESPONSIVE
TO MEMBER NEEDSSPOS IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE ARE LARGELY PROFITABLE
In Côte d’Ivoire, there is a consistent trend of SPOs reporting
profits, ranging from 91 percent in 2018 to 87 percent in
2022, and a notable increase to 96 percent in 2023. Thishigh percentage is a positive indication of the resilience andsustainability of these organisations, especially considering
challenges such as inflation, cocoa price fluctuations, and theimpact of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Despite externalpressures, SPOs demonstrate a commendable ability toremain operational and continue serving their members.

facilitates a peer-to-peer learning approach where bestpractices in one SPO are shared with others. We thinkthese two approaches in the WACP have contributed to the
profitability of SPOs.

Data reliability issues hinder a comprehensive analysis of
this indicator in Ghana. The absence of some data, a small
sample size, and the fact that SPOs in Ghana do not tradecocoa directly due to government regulations contribute to
the limitations in drawing conclusive insights for this specificmetric in the Ghanaian context.

In 2024, we foresee that the profitability of some SPOs will
either remain the same or reduce due to the challenges posedby high cocoa prices. SPOs in Côte d’Ivoire will require more
capital to remain in business and compete with larger trading
companies for beans from their members. The issue of prefinance is crucial to ensuring that SPOs remain profitable.
FTA and it partners will continue to explore avenues throughwhich SPOs can access affordable finance, especially from
impact investors and social lenders.

WACP has supported SPO profitability by training SPO
management and leadership how to put sound financial
systems and accountability mechanisms in place. FTA

However, we believe that SPOs could improve in theirprofitability further if there was access to affordable financeto fund their operations. Greater use of technology would also
help increase SPO efficiency.

Percentage (%) of SPOs making a net profit

100%
96%
95%

93%
91%

90%
89%
87%
85%

80%

2018

2019

2020

2022

2023

Côte d’Ivoire

A consistently high percentage of SPOs in Côte d’Ivoire made a net profit (total revenue – total expenses) in their last fiscal year.

17West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTPaul Eric Amani Amon, Contact Person, Sustainability Projects,
SCOOPAKAM, Côte d’Ivoire“Thanks to the West Africa cocoa programme, we have benefitted
from support that has enabled us to have a better cooperative.
Financially, we are well organised, especially when it comes tomanaging our Fairtrade Premium, which we have used to buy our
new headquarters and purchase trailers and other vehicles fortransporting our cocoa. This comprehensive support took into
account the structuring and operating principles of a cooperative
society, personnel administration, accounting management, financeand control techniques, leadership and personal development,
geolocation of producers’ farms and diversification of income sources
using the VSLA approach.
When we were selected for the Recover Africa fund, WACP’s
experience enabled us to realise our dream of investing in our
members’ communities. That’s how we came to build a borehole witha capacity of 2,000 litres and a school farm with over 2,000 chickens.
The borehole has solved a water shortage problem in a village of over
5,000 inhabitants.
Thanks to the school farm, more than 25 farms have been set up
by beneficiaries trained with the profits they’ve made from selling
Fairtrade cocoa.
All these achievements will enable us to train more people in futureas the demand for training in poultry farming is strong. We also plan
to increase the capacity of our farm school to give more people thechance to benefit from training and coaching provided by the WACP.”SPOS ARE SUPPORTING MEMBERS WITH INCOME DIVERSIFICATION AND FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVES,ALTHOUGH FOCUS IN A GIVEN YEAR VARIESOur monitoring data highlights the dynamic focus of sampled
SPOs as they prioritise supporting their membership throughincome diversification and/or food security initiatives. In Côte
d’Ivoire, there has been notable progress with the percentage
of SPOs providing income diversification support increasingfrom 65 percent in 2018 to 73 percent in 2023.
In Ghana, the trend in SPOs focusing on income diversification
has also followed a clear upward trajectory. In 2023, allsampled SPOs reported being actively engaged in income
diversification efforts. Meanwhile, in Sierra Leone, 50
percent of SPOs sampled in 2023 were involved in income
diversification measures.
The data also show that SPOs undertake various initiatives
to promote food security among their members. However,the number of initiatives provided by Ivorian SPOs to theirmembers declined to 42 percent in 2023 . FTA observed thatin Côte d’Ivoire, even though initiatives such as cassava,
vegetable and poultry production remain key food security
initiatives for SPOs and their members, some SPOs haveshown interest in venturing into other areas that would add
more value to their cocoa beans. These include chocolate
and cocoa by-products, such as soap and pomade. Finding
opportunities for adding value is one of the strategic
objectives of FTA.

In Ghana, the current laws make it difficult for SPOs to venture
into value addition initatives as they are not permitted toprocess the cocoa beans from their members. As a result, theirinterest has mostly centred on-farm level investments, suchas the production of yam, maize, cassava and plantain. Animal
production, including poultry, grasscutter and rabbit has also
been promoted by SPOs. In addition, mushroom and snail
production, which is a popular delicacy in Ghana, has beenpromoted in Ghanaian SPOs. These initiatives have received
investment from Fairtrade Premiums and funding support
from Fairtrade with support from donors and commercial
partners.
Fairtrade continues to seek commercial partner and donor
funding in partnership with SPOs to increase income and fooddiversification. Examples include:• The long-running Sankofa programme in Ghana
introducing Dynamic Agroforestry and Food Agroforestry
Systems through an alliance between Fairtrade Africa,
Swiss chocolate manufacturer Halba, the Co-op Groupalso from Switzerland, Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union,
International Trade Centre, Fairtrade Max Havelaar
Switzerland, Worldwide Fund for Nature, Nature &Development Foundation and ECOTOP. Additional funding
has come from the Swiss and Finnish governments.

18

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT• Ghana Agroforestry for Impact, an alliance between
Fairtrade Africa, Max Havelaar France and the Agence
Française de Dévelopment launched in 2023, will seek toimpact 10,000 community members through three SPOs.
The project will introduce agro-ecological transition andcrop diversification to improve livelihoods.

cocoa farmers to increase their income and make cocoa
farming in Sierra Leone more resilient. The project tries
to address the overall due diligence process holisticallyby working in a segregated high-risk supply chain
integrating purchasing practices, risk analysis, grievancemechanisms, continuous rights-holder engagement andwork on concrete prevention and remediation activities atthe local level. A particular focus is placed on the issues ofdeforestation and income generation.

Percentage (%) of SPOs conducting income diversification, food security activities• In Sierra Leone, a Fairtrade Africa and Fairtrade
Germany partnership with German retailer DM andmanufacturer Maestrani supported by the German Agency
for International Cooperation (GIZ) supports around 7,000
100%

100%

100%
100%

100%

83%

80%
65%

66%

60%
52%

52%

48%

74%

73%

55%
50%
42%

40%

40%
37%

20%

2018

2019

Côte d’Ivoire

2020
Ghana

25%

2022

2023

Sierra Leone

Income Diversification

Income Diversification

Income Diversification

Food Security

Food Security

Food Security

All SPOs are supporting their membership with income diversification and food security activities, although the focus on these fluctuatesfrom year to year.

Mary Donkor, farmer, Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union, Ghana“I am a member of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union from the Bobiem
community. Being part of the ‘Way To Go’ project has been a gamechanger for me as a farmer, and Fairtrade Africa’s support has been
invaluable every step of the way. The record-keeping tool they
introduced has completely transformed how I manage my farm, giving
me insights into my yields, expenses, and profits like never before. It’s
like having a trusted guide by my side, helping me navigate towards
greater success. Moreover, the project’s holistic approach has brought
about tangible improvements in our community, from cultivating
premium yams to establishing robust Village Savings and Loan
Associations (VSLAs) and offering adult literacy classes. Fairtrade
Africa’s commitment to our wellbeing has empowered us to embrace
progress and prosperity with open arms, and for that, I’m immensely
grateful.”

19

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPOS ARE TAKING MEASURES TO GET WOMEN AND YOUNG PEOPLE MORE INVOLVED IN SPO
GOVERNANCE AND MEMBERSHIPThe 2023 monitoring data shows that the sampled SPOs
across the three countries are generally implementing
measures to actively promote the involvement of womenand young people (defined as members under 35) in bothgovernance and membership (although there was a five
percentage point decline among Ivorian SPOs compared to2022). This aligns with the overarching objectives of WACP,
which are to foster equity, nurture the next generation ofmembers, and infuse decision-making processes within SPOs
with fresh perspectives, approaches and inputs.

farmers and 45 men. Together, they have reached out to morethan 10,000 people in their communities through training
programmes of their own.
The Women’s School of Leadership focuses on enhancing
the self-confidence and self-esteem of individual women,
empowering them to understand their rights, build theirfinancial and farming skills, and support other womenfarmers. Participants gain resources and skills so they cancontribute to their cooperatives and involve themselves inincome-generating activities.

The measures adopted are diverse, encompassing gender/
youth inclusion policies, the establishment of women’s oryouth committees, and the introduction of quotas for womenor youth on governance bodies.

Alongside the Women’s School of Leadership, the Young
Cooperative Managers Academy also seeks to provide young
people with entrepreneurial skills via training, hands-on
assignments, coaching and mentoring.

WACP prioritises the participation of women and youth in its
activities. Specific activities include:

We are actively seeking funding to further expand the
Women’s School of Leadership and Young Cooperative
Managers Academy.

• The implementation of Village Savings and Loans
Associations•

FTA has worked with 27 SPOs in Côte d’Ivoire that now havegender policies approved by their General Assemblies. More
SPOs are expected to gain approval in the coming year. In
Ghana, 62 percent of SPOs have approved gender policies.

The Fairtrade Women’s School of Leadership (WSOL)• The Fairtrade Young Cooperative Managers’ Academy(YCMA)

Qualitative insights gleaned from focus group discussions inCôte d’Ivoire further underscore the impact of these initiatives,
suggesting that they are yielding positive results. Discussantsemphasised the respect for gender equality within their SPOs,
with women being well-represented in administrative roles,
including leadership positions. Despite concerns about limited
involvement due to busy schedules (i.e. household chores),participants highlighted a balanced engagement of members
and equal opportunities for both women and young people,
with leadership positions not restricted by age or gender,
showcasing a fair and inclusive approach to governance andmembership within the SPOs.

• Supporting SPOs to implement gender and youth
policies.
The Fairtrade Women’s School of Leadership has received
regular funding since its inception from the UK retailer, theCo-op. Funding has also come from Compass UK & Ireland,
Delhaize and Fairbel. Further funding has come from the
Equité project in France and Norway’s NORAD. Membersof Fairtrade such as Belgium and Germany have regularly
provided support.
To date, there have been more than 200 graduates from the
Fairtrade Women’s School of Leadership, almost 160 women

2022

2023
100 %

97 %

Côte d’Ivoire

Ghana

100 %

92 %

Côte d’Ivoire

Ghana

100 %

Sierra Leone

All SPOs surveyed in Ghana and Sierra Leone, as well as 92 percent in Côte d’Ivoire, are actively implementing strategies to enhance theparticipation of women and young individuals in SPO governance and membership.

20

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTDora Atiiga, WSOL graduate, Kukuom Cocoa Farmers’ Union ,Ghana“I was inspired by the Women’s School of Leadership that as a woman,
I can be of great use to my household as well as my community. Since
there was no school for little kids in Asibrem, I decided to start acrèche here with the knowledge I had acquired from the school. I wasconcerned to see little kids playing around or following their parents
to the farms instead of being in school. Starting this school has eased
the burden on parents in Asibrem community. The children get to
be in school while the parents only have to pay for feeding them. In
addition, the burden of parents needing to travel long distances fromthe village to the towns and cities in search of better education for
their children has been reduced. Enrolment has been encouraging
since we started. I began with 14 children enrolled and two staff toassist me. Now we have 110 pupils and six staff. I owe this great
achievement to FTA and the WSOL for showing me how useful I can be
as a woman and for teaching me to face challenges head on.”Dwomor Boahene, YCMA graduate, Asunafo North Cooperative
Union ), Ghana“As a young cocoa farmer, enrolling in the Young Cooperative
Manager’s Academy was a life-changing experience for me. With
the support of FTA, it taught me that it was possible for my dreams
to become a reality. Aside from gaining the leadership skills I lacked,
which has opened many leadership doors for me in my cooperativeand in my community, I also developed an interest in empowering
women and children. I decided to form women’s groups for
women in my community and neighbouring communities. This is
my way of contributing to empowering women and giving thema voice in society. I have three women’s groups in Boakyeasua,
Atom and Twapease communities. I teach the women everything
I learnt from the WSOL and YCMA training I received. Now theyknow that they can also own properties and make good decisions
for themselves. The women are doing better than other womenin their communities because more than 70 percent of them are
now running their own businesses. My aim is to transfer all theknowledge I got from FTA to them. Recently, I supported them toopen individual bank accounts into which they save every week. The
women in my community are happy and they feel empowered! FTA
has transformed me into a Gender Advocate. Today, I have also been
elected as a member of the Supervisory Council/Control Committeeof the Asunafo North Union.”

Arlette Konate Awa, Fairtrade contact person, YEYASSO COOP-CA,
Côte d’Ivoire“Fairtrade trainings have enabled us to become aware of theshortcomings in our organisation and to set up a whole team with
one person in each position to organise and manage the systemand continuously improve. Becoming more professional andunderstanding the Fairtrade system has enabled our managers tobetter understand their role and function, and to better structure andorganise Annual General Meetings and Emergency General Meetings
by applying the OHADA Law. Today, the majority of the management
team are young people, and more and more of the members areyoung. The trainings have enabled our cooperative to become evenmore aware of the importance of gender inclusion in the organisation.
Today, we have 1,080 women among our members, compared with ten
women in 2006. We also now have two women on our management
bodies.”21

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Juliana Asiedu, technical staff member at Offinso Fine Flavour
Cocoa Farmers’ Cooperative, Ghana“For over a year and a half, I have witnessed great improvements
as a staff member supporting cocoa farmers to produce Fine
Flavour Cocoa. As a student of the NORAD-funded Women’s Schoolof Leadership, I gained the necessary skills and confidence totake up any challenge. As a result, I saw the position of TechnicalStaff at Offinso Fine Flavour Cocoa Farmers’ Cooperative as anopportunity to make a case for inclusion in the cocoa supply chain.
My key responsibilities are membership and production data entry,
inspection of bean fermentation sites and farmer education. I havebenefitted from training and coaching on the Fairtrade Standards,
Governance, Internal Management Systems and Child Protection.
These modules have increased my capacity to deliver relevant
services to the members of the Fine Flavour Cooperative.’’

SPOS ACHIEVE A STRONG PRODUCTION BASE AND ATTRACTIVE BUSINESSPROFILE, UNLOCKING SUSTAINED ACCESS TO FAIRTRADE COCOA MARKETSRECOVERING PERCENTAGE OF FAIRTRADE SALESFor SPOs – largely those in key supply chains – surveyed in
the annual WACP monitoring, the data showed a marginalincrease in the percentage of cocoa sold on Fairtrade terms inCôte d’Ivoire, edging up from 55 percent in 2022 to 58 percent
in 2023. Meanwhile, in Ghana, there was a notable increasein Fairtrade cocoa sales, with the percentage rising from nine
percent in 2022 to 18 percent in 2023.
In Cote d’Ivoire, the marginal increase in volumes among
sampled SPOs could be attributed to the fact that commercial
partners are gradually recovering from the effect of the highFairtrade Minimum Price (FMP) differential in the 2022-2023
season. In October 2023, the FMP was not triggered due to thehigh cocoa prices in the world market. It could therefore be
hypothesised that commercial partners who slightly reduced
their sales in 2022 might have increased slightly in 2023 dueto there being no FMP differential. In Ghana, a significant
increase was observed. This was largely due to the increase in
the number of partnerships with some end buyers. One of thebigger SPOs has also been able to improve its relationships
with its commercial partners resulting in increased sales
compared to previous seasons. We believe that with improved
relationships with end buyers and a commitment of from
SPOs to demonstrate impacts, Fairtrade sales will continue toincrease.
With the current supply challenges, we anticipate that
Fairtrade sales in 2024 will be much better than those of2023 as most commercial partners want to secure volumes
and Fairtrade is one of the preferred labels. Multi-certified
SPOs are opting to sell their beans on Fairtrade terms before
considering other schemes.

Côte d’Ivoire

Percentage (%) of SPO sales on Fairtrade terms

80%
75%
70%
60%

55%

61%

58%

Ghana

50%
40%

40%

30%
20%

18%

10%
9%
0%

2018

2019

2020

2022

2023

2023 monitoring data shows a positive trend in sales on Fairtrade terms in both Côte d’Ivoire Ghana.

22

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPO MEMBERS PERCEIVE THEIR COOPERATIVE AS DEMOCRATIC,TRANSPARENT AND PARTICIPATIVEPARTICIPATION IN PREMIUM USE DECISION-MAKING AMONG SPO MEMBERS AND RESPECT FOR DIVERSE
OPINION
A fundamental principle of Fairtrade is the involvement ofmembers in decision-making processes, especially withregard to how the Fairtrade Premium is used. The 2023
monitoring data indicates that 72 percent and 92 percent
of sampled SPO members in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana,respectively, perceive that they are actively engaged andconsulted about how their Premium is used.

We are pleased to see some recovery in the percentage of
SPO members, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire who stated thatthey were involved in Premium use decision-making and aim
to increase that figure further in future years. Disaggregating
the data shows very high rates of participation in some SPOs.
However, the average is being brought down by a cohort of
SPOs with much lower participation levels.

Furthermore, in Côte d’Ivoire, the percentage of SPO members
who feel that different opinions can be raised and respectedby their SPOs increased by seven percentage points to reach
92 percent in 2023, while in Ghana, this percentage rose by 13
percentage points to 99 percent during the same period.

Most SPOs in Côte d’Ivoire are first grade organisations. Theyuse delegate systems to organise their General Assemblies
because their membership is disbursed in rural areas. Whilesome SPOs consult their membership through their delegatesat community level there clearly is room for improvement.
In 2023, FTA worked closely with 23 Ivorian SPOs to cascade
training to their members where awareness of Fairtrade
was key. In the process, 6,000 posters were distributed tocommunity members to increase their awareness of theirrights as members of Fairtrade SPOs.

Percentage (%) of SPO members consulted about Premium use

These trends suggest a positive trajectory towards
fostering inclusivity and ensuring the general involvementof members in decision-making. Insights from focus group
discussions in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire further underscorethe inclusive nature of decision-making processes within
SPOs, where members, including young people and women,
actively contribute to shaping decisions and activities of
their organisations. Notably, participants emphasised
the significant involvement of members, the absence of
discrimination, and respect for diverse opinions in decisionmaking forums, particularly during events such as the Annual
General Assembly.

It is important to note that in Ghana, most of the cooperatives
are unions and hence each community or society is a
registered cooperative. As such, they are required by the laws
governing cooperatives to organise their General Assembly
and take any necessary decisions before they ‘transfer’ tounion status. Decisions taken are documented and binding formembers. In this way, members feel their needs are includedin the Fairtrade Development Plans .

100%

99%
92%

85%

80%
73%
74%

72%

65%
61%
60%

2018

2019

Côte d’Ivoire

2020

2022

2023

Ghana

In general, SPO members are being consulted regarding Premium Use.

23

West Africa Cocoa Programme

Percentage (%) of SPO members who feel that different opinions
can be raised and are respected by their SPO

MONITORING REPORT

100%

100%

100%

99%

92%
93%

90%

86%

85%

80%

2018

2019

Côte d’Ivoire

2020

2022

2023

Ghana

SPO members largely feel that different opinions can be raised and are respected by their SPO.

Daniel Eyiah Gurah, Secretary, Asunafo Union, Ghana“As the secretary of the Asunafo Union, I proudly attest to thetransformative impact of Fairtrade Africa interventions, particularly
through the West Africa Cocoa Programme (WACP). Fairtradecertification has not only empowered our farmers but has also
improved their livelihoods. Our union has been able to democratically
put the Fairtrade Premium to very good use by actively involving thefarmers in our communities. We have distributed cash bonuses to our
farmers, constructed many schools in under-served communities,
established many healthcare facilities, and ensured the maintenanceof our farms. The Premium earned from Fairtrade sales has been
instrumental in fostering prosperity within our union and, for that, weare immensely grateful.”24

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Joseph Narteh, President, ABOCFA Organic Cocoa Cooperative,
Ghana“WACP’s commitment to democratic principles has transformed
our cooperative, making decision-making processes more inclusive
and participatory. Through their trainings, we have empowered ourmembers to have a voice in shaping the direction of our cooperative.
As President of ABOCFA Organic Cocoa Cooperative, I am proud
to say that WACP’s interventions have not only strengthened our
farming practices but have also fostered a culture of transparency
and democratic governance within our cooperative.”

SPO MEMBERS HAVE BUSINESS-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLSSPO MEMBERS NEED MORE SUPPORT WITH RECORD-KEEPING
This indicator was introduced in 2022 to assess how many
SPO members are keeping records of their farm-related
income and expenditures. In our 2023 report, we highlighted
that SPO members need more support to implement recordkeeping. Our Fairtrade Living Income projects have proved theusefulness of this to us and to the farmers involved. However,mainstreaming record-keeping requires investment, which
includes but is not limited to:•Printing the farm record-keeping books• Training volunteers and supporting farmers throughthese volunteers to keep records

2022• Transmitting data to the cooperative in a digitalformatGood record-keeping practices have been adopted where
there has been additional investment from commercial
partners through the Fairtrade Living Income projects. While
we will continue to look for highly motivated farmers to act asambassadors and advocates, we will also need greater input
from commercial partners in those Living Income projects to
help us promote the idea of good record-keeping.
More can be read about Fairtrade’s work on living income in
the 2023 Fairtrade Living Income Progress report2.

2023
11 %

Côte d’Ivoire

26 %

Ghana

8%

Côte d’Ivoire

42 %

Ghana

A lower percentage of SPO members are keeping records of their farm-related income and expenditure at present.

2 https://www.fairtrade.net/library/fairtrade-living-income-progress-report-2023

25

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORT

Kennedy Ofori Gyekye, Fanteakwa Union, Ghana“I started using my Farm Record Book in 2020. It has helped me tokeep a record of all my farming activities on both of my cocoa farms
as well as my other livelihood activities.
First of all, the Farm Record Book has helped me to keep tabs on all
my production costs: renting land, labour, inputs, seedlings, transport,
spraying, pruning and harvesting. In previous years, I did not consider
accounting for all these costs as relevant, and because of this I
couldn’t determine my actual cost of production. I could not plan
well as I did not even know what would go into the farm and otherlivelihood activities.
The Farm Record Book has also helped me to determine my total sales
at the end of the year for both cocoa and other additional livelihood
activities. This has enabled me to know whether I am making a profit
or loss and also to compare the current year’s turnover to that ofprevious years turnover so I can make meaningful decisions.
I recommend all farmers to use the Farm Record tool because it will
help you to know your status as a farmer and help you plan and makeuseful decisions.”

Kouamé Armand Kouassi, Manager, CPR CANAAN COOP CA, Côte
d’Ivoire“CPR CANAAN COOP CA is a grassroots cooperative in the Ecookim
Union, located in Daloa, in the haut Sassandra Region of Côte
d’Ivoire. As part of the Oxfam and Fairtrade ‘Bite to Fight’ livelihood
project, we believed that the most effective way to lift cocoa
farmers out of extreme poverty was to increase and diversify theirsources of income from farming activities. That’s exactly what
we’ve been working towards since 2018 when Oxfam and Fairtrade
launched the ‘Bite to Fight’ chocolate bar. We have succeeded indoubling and even tripling cocoa farmers’ output by improving
production techniques.
We had coaches who visited the producers every day. They taught
them how to enter data on household income and expenditureusing the Fairtrade farm record-keeping tool. Thanks to this tool,
we can identify the flow of income into the household and assesswith the producers their expenditure over the course of the year. It’sa tool for raising producers’ awareness of their income. It enables
them to make forecasts for entrepreneurial projects taking into
account the current year’s profit. The tool takes account of thegender make-up in households and enables couples to plan theirfamily budget. It also helps producers to make decisions about
future sales and identify the activities in which they need to invest.
The Fairtrade farm record book is a real tool that enables producers
to become aware of and implement an income management plan.”26

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTSPO MEMBERS EMBRACE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY IN COCOA
PRODUCTION AND COMMUNITY LIFEOUR FAIRTRADE INDICES
In order to track the opinions, actions and awareness levelsof SPO members, a variety of indices addressing different
topics were developed. Each index incorporates multiple
components to provide a comprehensive assessment of
the situation among SPO members regarding the specifictopic. These indices are scored on a scale of 0 to 3, with 0
representing the lowest score and 3 indicating the highest.

• Fairtrade Good Agricultural Practices Index:
Whether or not the SPO member reports that they apply
different aspects of Good Agricultural Practice for cocoa,
e.g. pruning, weed management, pest and disease
management, fertiliser use, etc.
• Fairtrade Awareness Index: Whether or not the SPO
member is aware of different aspects of Fairtrade and how
it is relevant for SPOs and their members.

The components for each of the indices are as follows:• Fairtrade Child Rights Index: (1) Whether boys, girls
or both should go to school, (2) attitudes on child work, (3)attitudes on child labour.

• Fairtrade Economic Progress Index: (1) Household
capital purchases in the last year, (2) struggle to pay debt
(if any), (3) perception of household economic situation
versus past.

• Fairtrade Gender Roles Index: (1) Male/female roles
in childrearing, (2) Male/female roles in community and
SPO leadership, (3) Male/female roles in earning money.

Côte d’Ivoire

3.0

Average Score (out of 3) for various Indices

2.9

2.9
2.8

2.8

2.8

2.7

2.6

2018

2.5
2.2
2.0

2.0

2.0

1.8

1.8

2.0
1.9

1.8

2019
1.8

1.5

1.5

1.4

2020

1.4

0.9 1.0

1.0

2022

0.5

2023

0.0

Child Rights
Index

GenderIndex

Good Agricultural
Practices
Index

Fairtrade
Awareness
Index

Economic
Progress
Index

Scores for various indices reported by members are generally high, particularly for indices such as child rights and Fairtrade awareness.

27

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTNOTABLE GAINS IN CHILD RIGHTS AND FAIRTRADE AWARENESS; GENDER AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
INDICES HIGHLIGHT ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
• Fairtrade Good Agricultural Practices Index: The
2023 data reveals a positive trend in index scores in
Ghana, potentially attributed to various initiatives by SPOs,
including input distribution programmes. Furthermore,collaborative efforts with partners in implementing cocoa
rehabilitation projects and leveraging government policies,
such as COCOBOD’s rehabilitation programme, contributeto this positive trend. In contrast, a negative trend isevident in Côte d’Ivoire, suggesting the need for further
support and capacity-building initiatives to promote theadoption of such practices.

Insights based on the trends of the indices are as follows:• Child Rights Index: The scores consistently showhigh scores across multiple years and in both countries,
signaling the widespread acceptance of child rights
principles among SPO members. They affirm that children,
regardless of gender, should attend school and refrainfrom engaging in hazardous labor, emphasising theimportance of work not interfering with their education.
This result could be attributed to the awareness creationand the establishment of Child Labour Monitoring andRemediation Systems by some SPOs, aimed at identifying,monitoring and remediating cases of child labour. Looking
ahead, there is optimism that the implementation ofFairtrade’s Programme for Child Labour and Forced Labour
Prevention and Remediation, initiated last year, willserve to bolster these scores, fostering an even greatercommitment to protecting children’s rights and addressing
labour-related challenges within SPO communities.

• Fairtrade Awareness Index: The scores for thisindex are relatively high, particularly in 2023, indicating acommendable level of awareness and understanding ofFairtrade principles among SPO members. This suggeststhat efforts to educate and inform members about
Fairtrade have been effective. However, there is always
room for improvement, particularly in sustaining andbuilding upon this awareness to ensure that SPO members
fully grasp the benefits and opportunities offered by the
Fairtrade system.

• Fairtrade Gender Roles Index: The scores forthis index show marginal increases for both Ghana andCôte d’Ivoire, indicating a prevailing belief that men are
more suitable for leadership positions and are primarily
responsible for providing income, while women are
expected to focus on child-rearing duties. Although there
has been a slight improvement over time, the scoressuggest that traditional gender norms persist to someextent within SPOs. This underscores the importance ofpromoting gender equality and empowering women withinthese organisations to foster inclusive and equitableenvironments.

• Fairtrade Economic Progress Index: The Economic
Progress Index demonstrates a downward trajectory from2022 to 2023 across Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. This decline
signals potential challenges to economic advancement
among SPO members. Further investigation is necessary
to identify the underlying factors contributing to thesechanges and to devise tailored strategies to bolster
economic opportunities for SPO members.

Ghana

Average Score (out of 3) for various Indices

3.0

3.0
2.8
2.5

2.5

2.6

2.6
2.4

2.4 2.4
2.1

2.0

1.9

2.0

1.8 1.7

2020

1.5

2022

1.0

2023
0.6

0.5

0.0

Child Rights
Index

GenderIndex

Good Agricultural
Practices
Index

Fairtrade
Awareness
Index

Economic
Progress
Index

Scores for various indices reported by members are generally high, particularly for indices such as child rights and Fairtrade awareness.

28

West Africa Cocoa Programme

MONITORING REPORTCONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPSWe are proud of what we have achieved with SPOs since mid2016. The demands on SPOs and their members are becoming
ever more complex as some elements of sustainability
are codified in law and directives, for example the EU
Deforestation Regulation and the EU Corporate Sustainability
Due Diligence Directive.
Fairtrade is accompanying SPOs through the West Africa
Cocoa Programme as they prepare to meet these demands
using the framework of Fairtrade Standards and non-standard
interventions, such as our partnership with Satelligence on
deforestation monitoring and our Fairtrade child labour andforced labour prevention and remediation programme.
SPOs and their members will need the support of theirpartners and donors to meet these new legal requirements.
Fairtrade and SPOs continue to focus on building commercial
partnerships with brands, retailers and donors for the muchneeded financial support that supports progress.
During 2024 and 2025, Fairtrade will be working with SPOs in
the primary category to prepare them to transition to a lower

intensity of support from Fairtrade. This will enable us totransition a number of SPOs currently receiving secondary andouter levels of WACP support to a higher intensity of support.
Our focus in 2024 is:• SPO compliance with Fairtrade Standards,
particularly those on deforestation, human rights andenvironmental due diligence and sharecroppers.
• SPO preparation for the EU Deforestation Regulation
and realising the benefits from the Fairtrade andSatelligence partnership which will provide high quality
deforestation risk analysis to the SPOs.
• Further expand the training of trainers approach
where SPO staff and members cascade relevant trainings
to the wider membership of the SPO.
• Maintain and grow sales on Fairtrade terms releasing
benefits for SPOs and their members.

29Bonner Talweg 177
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Germany
Telephone +49 (0) 228 94 92 30
Fax +49 (0) 228 24 21 713

info@fairtrade.net
www.fairtrade.net