Ghanaian cocoa farmers demand vital yield and environmental improvements in Cocobod complaint

By: Claudemir Zafalon Deforestation, Child Labor, and Pesticide Use in Focus The petition’s central points include continued deforestation, the use of child labor, and the application of pesticides, practices that have raised international concerns and increased pressure on Cocobod to ensure more sustainable and socially just production. The complaint challenges Cocobod to strengthen regulatory measures and promote better conditions for workers in the sector, who play an essential role in the global supply of cocoa. Grievance Mechanism: A Test for Cocobod and the African Development Bank The document also represents the first test of the grievance mechanism that Cocobod created as a condition of a $600 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2019. This financing aimed to improve productivity and environmental practices in cocoa production, including creating channels for farmers and communities to report problems. However, neither Cocobod nor the AfDB have ...