Last week I had the utter fortune of joining my fellow Board Trustees of Cocoa Horizons and the Barry Callebaut sustainability team in visiting community stakeholders in Ivorian cocoa farming. In just a few days, we met with farmers, cooperatives, men and women of the communities, boys, girls, their schools as well as the sacred land and trees that produce this invaluable crop.
I came away feeling deeply moved (once again) by the enormity of the situation and a re-found commitment to what matters most. This is my third time visiting cocoa farming communities in 9 years (in different roles) and I cannot help but to share what continues to weigh heavily on my heart.
I am grateful to Cocoa Horizons for the opportunity to continue my participation, advocacy, and collegiate work for human rights. Nevertheless, the following reflections do not represent or evaluate any organisation and are relevant to all. My perspectives are both influenced by all my associates and shape the way I take up my role in Embode and other organisations I serve.
Poverty is a living, experienced reality.
Whilst we can put conceptual measurements and quantifiers on observing and defining poverty, (i.e. living income/ wage, poverty rates, multidimensional poverty etc), can we really imagine what it is like to live without electricity, clean drinking water, access to information, basic quality education and health care, sufficient nutrition, sanitation, roads and transportation? For most of us, it is unimaginable, yet it is still a reality for millions of people producing the cocoa that feeds us chocolate.
Sustainability must consider human dignity.
The agreed conventions on human rights were built on the fundamental recognition that each person has dignity. Such poverty undermines human dignity. Whilst we progress on corporate responsibility on HRDD, we must not lose sight of the urgency of the sustainable development goals. Keeping focused on the SDGs enables community empowerment, institutional protection, and the structural grounding to effectively reduce risks. Extreme poverty makes people vulnerable to abuse.
Industry must act together
The cumulative resources invested in cocoa sustainability is enormous (someone has done the maths?). I really see and applaud how hard corporate sustainability functions care and want to impact positive change. Everyone’s question is… What if all cocoa and chocolate industry were dedicated to the top 5 development imperatives, in partnership with the governments? If we were to collectively solve issues of potable water, electricity, basic education, fundamental healthcare/nutrition and roads we would see a significant turnaround in cocoa farming modernisation, significant reduction of child labour, women’s empowerment and more. I know this is easier said than done due to multiple parties and agendas, but it is not impossible.
– Written by Aarti Kapoor (Executive Director at Embode)
