TOXIC COCOA
The chocolate industry is failing to protect people and the environment from the dangers of highly hazardous pesticides.
Every year, an estimated 44% of all farmers and farmworkers suffer acute poisoning by pesticides, that’s 350 million people, with many experiencing multiple incidents each season1. Cocoa is no exception. Cocoa farmers and children are also exposed to these hazardous chemicals.
The immediate impacts of acute pesticide poisoning can include chemical burns, migraines, severe vomiting, paralysis or even death. Many pesticides are linked to higher risks of cancer and neurodegenerative illnesses such as Parkinson’s Disease, and children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable.
Disturbingly, children’s exposure to pesticides in cocoa is rising. The number of child laborers exposed to harmful pesticides increased from 10% in 2014 to 27% in 20192, along with an increase in injuries, health impacts, and level of care needed.
Pesticides are also destructive to the functioning of our natural environment, catastrophic to biodiversity, and are a major factor driving the “insect apocalypse”3. Cocoa trees are almost entirely reliant on midge flies for pollination, and yet these are highly sensitive to neonicotinoids and other chemicals regularly used in cocoa production4.
AGRICHEMICALS MANAGEMENT IN THE CHOCOLATE SCORECARD
2023 was the fourth time the Chocolate Scorecard asked companies about their efforts to reduce harm and promote alternatives to hazardous agrichemicals, and this is the second year the results were published.
This year, we analysed:
1. Policies on agrichemicals. Higher points were awarded to companies showing commitment to: reducing pesticide use, identifying pesticides (especially Highly Hazardous Pesticides) in use that are causing harms to people and the cocoa ecosystem, and helping producers to use alternative integrated pest management approaches through education, field research and practical support to implement good management practices.
2. Assessment and monitoring of agrichemical use and harms caused in their supply chain. Companies are expected to gather information on agrichemical use and use this to inform their actions to reduce harms caused.
3. Action to reduce pesticide harm. For example, through supporting farmers to adopt non-chemical alternatives (e.g. training, finance, research, etc.), advocating for national pesticide regulation, working to phase-out Highly Hazardous Pesticides, and introducing safety and exposure reduction measures for workers and communities.
4. Use of certification schemes. Highest points were awarded for companies sourcing 100% organic cocoa, and partial points for Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance.
THE RESULTS
Of the 53 companies that responded:
Three received a green egg, demonstrating a commitment to agrichemical use in cocoa: Beyond Good, Original Beans and Alter Eco. These companies are all sourcing 100% organic cocoa and are able to demonstrate significant action to support cocoa growers.
Eight received a yellow egg, including Alfred Ritter, Tony’s Chocolonely, JH Whittaker & Sons, Halba, ETG Beyond Beans. These companies generally were sourcing Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified cocoa and also taking action to promote integrated pest management, for example through providing of weed trimmers, financing tree pruning, funding research into alternatives or establishing training programs for farmers.
22 companies received the lowest egg rating and need to take urgent action to catch up with the rest of the sector.
WHAT SHOULD CHOCOLATE COMPANIES BE DOING?
1. Use Third-Party Certification Schemes – As a Starting Gun
“Many companies are still completely unaware of pesticide harms in their supply chain and cannot demonstrate that they have taken any responsibility to support farmers to transition to safe, ecologically sound pest management.”
Third-party schemes such as Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade have transparent standards and public impact reporting. Using these certifications is a good starting point.
However, they do not replace the need for chocolate companies to understand and address the ecological, health and human rights harms of agrichemical use in their supply chains.
Only source cocoa that is certified as organic, Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade. Avoid starting a “race to the bottom” by developing your own in-house standards
Develop a pesticide policy and commit to ending pesticide poisoning and phasing-out highly hazardous pesticides
Commit to promoting safe, ecologically sound pest management. This can take many forms, from training farmers to commissioning research or developing finance options to support cocoa farmers in rejuvenating old, disease-prone trees.
2. Understand which pesticides are causing harm
“The global situation of pesticide poisoning is dire and risks to cocoa farmers are extremely high. Unfortunately, what is not measured is ignored.”
A few companies are monitoring pesticide use in their supply chain but none are currently systematically collecting data and reporting incidence of pesticide harms. Without accurate information on which pesticides are causing human or environmental harm, chocolate will continue to be grown at the expense of the health of cocoa farmers, families and communities.
Collect information on pesticide use, conditions of use and harms in cocoa supply chains and report this publicly and transparently.
Work alongside farmers, regulators to phase-out the most harmful pesticides from your cocoa supply chains
3. Support farmers to implement agroecological pest management
“Safe, ecologically sound alternatives to highly hazardous pesticides exist but chocolate companies must chip-in to support farmers to adopt them.”
A wide-range of methods for controlling pests are available beyond chemical control, such as using cocoa cultivars bred for pest resistance, physical methods such as trapping insects or strimming weeds, and biological measures such as encouraging natural enemies of pests or using biopesticides. Often, a combination of different methods is needed and is beneficial for farmers’ health, profitability and the health of the natural ecosystems on which cocoa production depends.
Help farmers to gain knowledge and confidence in alternatives through hands-on Farmer Field Schools and local demonstration plots
Financially support farmers, for example to rejuvenate and replant old cocoa groves
Fund research into biological control methods and support the development of market systems for these products
Advocate for better agrichemical policies that align with the needs of farmers by phasing-out highly hazardous pesticides and promoting agroecological alternatives
Author:
Rajan Bopal, International Project Manager (Supply Chains) at Pesticide Action Network UK
References:
(1) Boedeker, W.; Watts, M.; Clausing, P.; Marquez, E. The Global Distribution of Acute Unintentional Pesticide Poisoning: Estimations Based on a Systematic Review. BMC Public Health 2020, 20 (1), 1875. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09939-0.
(2) NORC. NORC Final Report: Assessing Progress in Reducing Child Labor in Cocoa Production in Cocoa Growing Areas of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana; Final Report 2018/2019; University of Chicago. https://www.norc.org/PDFs/Cocoa%20Report/NORC%202020%20Cocoa%20Report_English.pdf.
(3) Goulson, D. The Insect Apocalypse, and Why It Matters. Curr. Biol. 2019, 29 (19), R967–R971. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.06.069.
(4) Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK. Pesticide Use in Ghana’s Cocoa Sector: Key Findings; UTZ, 2018.