Côte d’Ivoire is famous for its high quality cocoa. It is also one of the world’s poorest countries, suffering from both political and financial instability. Illiteracy rates are as high as 95% in some areas, and this, coupled with inadequate and distant health clinics, poorly maintained roads and few villages with electricity, means that for cocoa farmers, supporting a family is difficult.

The 6,000 cocoa farmers of the Daloa region who belong to the Kavokiva co-operative (Fairtrade certified in 2004) are gradually turning this around, inspiring others to join the Fairtrade system too. Kavokiva means ‘coming together’ in the Gouro language of Côte D’Ivoire.

With their sales of Fairtrade cocoa growing, thanks to commitments from companies such as Nestlé, which will buy the cocoa for its Kit kat bars from Kavokiva, the farmers are able to invest in the things they need most. And these projects aren’t just benefitting the 6,000 members of the co-operative, but the whole community..

Clinics, doctors and clean water were first on the list for the Premium Committee. There are three new wells with motor pumps, and a new health centre in the town of Gonate, with doctor, midwife and two nurses. Ill health means lost days of work for farmers. Mr Kouakou, a member of the co-op says: ‘Without Fairtrade or the medical centre, I would not be here today. I had an accident and was sick and the medical centre helped me.’

Education isn’t free in Côte d’Ivoire, so not everyone can afford to go to school. Kavokiva gives scholarships to members’children so they can attend school and has funded new schools in remote areas. The Fairtrade premium has also been spent on classroom equipment such as the all-important blackboard.

As well as the premium benefits, one of the most important changes will come from the increased financial security that long-term commitments from companies such as Nestlé and Percol (who use Kavokiva’s cocoa in their hot chocolate drinks) bring. In the past, Kavokiva has struggled to raise the money to buy all its members’ cocoa from them at harvest. This forces the farmers, desperate for cash, to sell their crop for a lower price to other buyers. With the stable and predictable income from large contracts, the co-op can rely on having enough to buy all the cocoa, or can ask for advances on its contracts to secure a bank loan, or to pay for equipment and fertiliser. Credit is hard to come by in the farming communities of Côte d’Ivoire. It’s good news for farmers too, who can plan their budgets for the year ahead.

Read more at www.fairtrade.org.uk/chocolate

For more information on Kavokiva, visit their website at www.kavokiva.net

© Spring 2010 Fair Comment