Petition for Equal Trade Practices for Cocoa farmers in Africa

The Hague — The Equal Trade Alliance (ETA) has surveyed cocoa farmers in Ghana and is now sharing their stories with manufacturers, lawmakers and young people in the West — aiming to drive awareness and lasting change through its campaign: Equal Trade Chocolate Tastes Better. The campaign calls for a fair profit distribution model that gives cocoa farmers more autonomy over pricing and revenue allocation.  

For decades, Western countries have generated billions of dollars from the trade of raw materials sourced from African nations, while the farmers who produce the essential ingredients receive only a small fraction of the total value — with only 6% of the total revenue from Europe’s cocoa industry being given back to farmers. 

"Programs like Fairtrade and Rainsforest Alliance are consumer-driven. They may result in an increase in market prices, but they are not addressing the real problem which is structural inequality. Our Equal Trade economic model is, first and foremost, an African initiative. It is about empowering the producers of the raw materials and letting them set the price. Then it is about creating a holistic approach to revenue distribution, where all stakeholders receive their fair share.” – Max Koffi, Founder, Equal Trade Alliance  

From its base in The Hague, ETA is working to influence Dutch policymakers and major industry players, but says lasting reform will be driven by young people. Through partnerships with schools and universities in Africa and the West — and a strong social media presence — ETA is empowering the next generation to understand the true cost of inequality in global supply chains. 

“Our strategy is not to negotiate with the government, but to put them under pressure. Young people are the consumers and decision makers of tomorrow. They hold the key as they have the economic power and the political power. If we have them on our side, then the politicians and manufacturers will have to listen.”  Max Koffi