Understanding Sustainable Value Capture for Ghana’s Cocoa Farmers on the Cocoa-Chocolate Value Chain

Kwarteng Asamoah Kwame and Awuku Tonorgbevi Emefa

Journal of Sustainable Development, 2023, vol. 16, issue 5, 145

Abstract: The sustainability of cocoa farmers' livelihoods is a critical concern within the academic discourse surrounding the Cocoa-chocolate value chain, aligning with SDG goal 1 of eradicating poverty. Addressing the challenges cocoa farmers face and developing sustainable solutions is paramount, as their low-income status may lead to a shift to alternative cash crops, surrendering lands for illegal mining activities (affecting the environment negatively), and a decline in the cocoa bean supply. Existing literature has explored the limited value capture of cocoa farmers. However, it needs to fully elucidate the complex interplay between local and international interests that undermine efforts to improve farmers' livelihoods. This study uses the Sustainable Livelihood Framework and the Global Production Network to assess these dynamics. The analysis uncovers significant obstacles smallholder farmers face in achieving sustainable incomes, including power imbalances and embeddedness within firm networks. Some policy recommendations, including the de-commodification of Cocoa beans, are proposed.

Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/download/0/0/49256/53147 (application/pdf)
https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/view/0/49256 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ibn:jsd123:v:16:y:2023:i:5:p:145

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Journal of Sustainable Development from Canadian Center of Science and Education Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Canadian Center of Science and Education ().