African Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Demand Fair Pricing

The Cocoa Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA), led by global president Adeola Adegok, has called for urgent global intervention to address the economic challenges faced by cocoa and coffee farmers in Africa. Despite projected growth in the global cocoa and coffee sector, farmers are experiencing severe price volatility that often results in their income falling below production costs.

The cocoa and chocolate market is expected to rise to $169 billion by 2025 and nearly $246 billion by 2031, driven by increasing demand for premium dark chocolate, particularly in Europe and emerging markets in Asia. However, COCEFAAA warns that this growth does not translate into higher incomes for farmers, who are increasingly exposed to unstable price structures.

The organization emphasizes the need for structural reforms in the global supply chain to stabilize farmer incomes and calls for increased investment in agricultural research, local processing, and regional cooperation among African producer countries. COCEFAAA also urges global buyers and manufacturers to adopt long-term purchasing agreements to guarantee stable, livable incomes for farmers.