Responsible cocoa: France lagging behind, denounces a report

Child labor, deforestation... France is lagging behind its European neighbors in its supply of sustainable and responsible cocoa, a report commissioned by NGOs and fair trade labels highlighted on Wednesday, October 1, which denounced a "state that is absent."

A "French Initiative for Sustainable Cocoa" (IFCD) was launched in 2021 under the leadership of the Ministers of Foreign Trade and Biodiversity, bringing together industry, distributors, NGOs, and government, around commitments to provide a decent income to planters by 2030, accelerate the fight against child labor, and eliminate supplies from deforestation by 2025.

Four years later, the initiative "does not represent an effective tool for transformation," compared to existing public-private platforms in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands, according to a report commissioned by the IFCD NGOs (Agronomes et Vétérinaires sans Frontières, Care, Commerce Équitable France, Max Havelaar France, Nitidae, Rainforest Alliance, WWF).

According to this report, which compares data reported by the platforms, only 36% of cocoa processed and manufactured in France was considered "zero deforestation" in 2023, with almost no growth in one year (+0,4%). In Germany, it was 50%.

Regarding the remuneration of cocoa farmers, while Belgium and Germany report respectively 12% and 11% of producers above the income threshold defined as decent, France is at 1,8% (this data having moreover only been measured for 9% of producers).

Regarding child labor, 32% of producer households are covered by prevention systems, reports the IFCD, compared to 45% for Belgium and 54% for the Netherlands.

"It's a huge disappointment," Blaise Desbordes, CEO of Max Havelaar, told AFP. "We feel like the government hasn't played its part. It's failing as a strategic government, at leading a platform, whereas we did the job, we brought everyone together."

According to NGOs, the state has withdrawn and refused to participate in the governance of the initiative, in contrast to the active support of other governments.

In the immediate future, they are calling on the industry to "carry out a 12-month traceability sprint, to move from 49% to 100% cocoa with full traceability right down to the plot."

"Christmas after Christmas, Easter after Easter, consumers are left with nagging questions" about the impact of their purchases, Mr. Desbordes emphasizes.

Contacted by AFP, the Ministry of Ecological Transition did not immediately respond.