The Fight Against Child Labour in Cocoa Supply Chains: How Traceability and On-the-Ground Expertise Drive Change
- Gusi Ayu Putri Chandrika Sari
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
Editor’s Note: This article draws on an exclusive interview with Amarilis Setyanti, our Agronomy Lead, offering expert insights into how traceability tools and community engagement can work together to combat child labor in cocoa production.
Executive Summary:
Despite international efforts, child labor remains a significant challenge in West Africa’s cocoa sector, driven by deep-rooted economic hardships and cultural norms.
In Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, an estimated 1.56 million children—accounting for 43% of children in agricultural households within cocoa-producing areas—are still engaged in child labor.
Effective eradication of child labor depends on combining technology with on-the-ground education, social dialogue, and community empowerment to foster sustainable change.
The bitter truth behind the world’s sweetest treat lies in the shadows of cocoa farms in West Africa. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana—two countries responsible for about 70% of the world’s cocoa production, are central to this US $130 billion industry (World Economic Forum: 2019). However, beneath the surface of this global success lies a grim irony: the reliance on child labor to sustain the industry’s growth.
Table of Index
A study revealed that child labor widespread in the cocoa-producing regions of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, with little substantial improvement over the past decade. While some initiatives have succeeded in reducing child labor in specific communities, many areas have seen increases due to rising cocoa production and labor costs. Gains from earlier child labor awareness programs have often proven unsustainable, highlighting the complexities of addressing this issue (European Commission, 2021). A report by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2019 estimated that approximately 1.56 million children were engaged in child labor on cocoa farms in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. This accounts for nearly 43% of all children in agricultural households within cocoa-growing regions (Cocoa Radar: 2024).
Recognizing this crisis, global stakeholders launched the 2024-2029 Framework of Action, coordinated by the Child Labor in Cocoa Coordinating Group (CLCCG) (World Cocoa Foundation: 2024). This framework emphasizes improving children's well-being, increasing access to quality education, empowering women and youth, and, importantly, enhancing the traceability and transparency of the cocoa supply chain. It also defines roles, fosters coordination, and aligns with national priorities to combat child labor in cocoa-growing communities.
Key goals include:
Improve the well-being and development of children and their families in cocoa-growing communities;
Improve the coverage of effective private Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS), and their alignment and interoperability with the Système d’Observation et de Suivi du Travail des Enfants in Côte d’Ivoire (SOSTECI) and the Ghana Child Labor Monitoring Systems (GCLMS), as well as national cocoa traceability systems and child protection case management systems;
Improve access to quality education as well as technical and vocational training;
Strengthen social services and social protection;
Increase household income and women’s and youth empowerment in cocoa-growing communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana; and
Promote social dialogue to address child labor and its root causes, including through efforts to engage producers and workers at the community level in cocoa-growing areas and others active in cocoa production.
Empowering Supply Chain Transparency through KoltiTrace
One of the framework's key points, promoting social dialogue to address child labor and its root causes, shows that accountability and transparency are central to its success (Graphic: 2024). Without this visibility, it is difficult to assess risks and enforce labor standards.
To address this, we have developed KoltiTrace, a digital traceability tool that enables companies to trace cocoa from farm to final product. By collecting and analyzing real-time data, KoltiTrace not only provides transparency but also helps identify potential child labor risks.
Through family surveys integrated into KoltiTrace, field agents can monitor producers’ households and identify whether any children are engaged in prohibited labor. This system plays a crucial role in early detection and helps companies comply with global sustainability standards.
However, we recognize that technology alone cannot solve deeply rooted social issues. Monitoring systems must be supported by education and awareness-building at the community level.
Building Ethical Supply Chains through Capacity Building and Field Engagement
Yet, digital tools alone are not enough. Real impact requires boots-on-the-ground initiatives, where education, monitoring, and community engagement go hand in hand with technology. One example of how these efforts are being implemented can be seen in the work of Koltiva, an agri-tech company that supports sustainable practices and responsible labor standards across various agricultural sectors.
According to Amarilis Setyanti, our Agronomy Lead, the company addresses child labor risks by embedding awareness and prevention strategies into their producer support programs.
“We provide specific training sessions to help producers understand what constitutes child labor and why it must be avoided,” Amar explained. “These trainings are delivered through KoltiSkills, using practical materials.”
Training sessions are conducted using modules, flipcharts, or other materials relevant to the project and tailored to producers. These materials outline the definition of child labor, the types of work children are prohibited from doing, and the importance of protecting children's rights.
“The training is not only telling producers ‘don’t use child labor.’ We break down what activities are considered child labor, and what roles children can safely help with, like light work that does not interfere with their education,” Amar added.
Additionally, we use the family survey feature in KoltiTrace to help identify households where child labor might be occurring. If a child is found working on the farm, the producer is reminded that this violates certification requirements, and they are encouraged to rectify the situation.
Operationalizing Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation (CLMRS) within the Traceability and Sustainability Cocoa Ecosystem
A key component in identifying and addressing child labor is the implementation of the Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS).
She added, “In our operations, we use digital tools like KoltiTrace to conduct family surveys. These surveys help us identify whether children are working in hazardous conditions or engaging in tasks that could be considered child labor.”
Once a potential case is identified, the system categorizes the child’s situation. According to Amar, there are two main categories:
Children engaged in child labor—working in prohibited conditions or doing hazardous tasks.
Children working and exposed to violence or exploitation.
“Our responsibility is to identify and categorize the cases based on survey data. Once we flag these cases, the remediation process is handed over to partner organizations or handled by the private sector itself,” she added.
The remediation efforts include assisting children in returning to school, providing counseling, or supporting families economically so they no longer need to rely on their children's labor. However, our involvement stops at identification, as we do not carry out the direct interventions
Amar also highlighted the limitations of the system:
“Our monitoring system is quite effective in identifying risks. But when it comes to prevention and behavior change, it depends heavily on the producers’ awareness and willingness to stop these practices. Our role is to provide information and create visibility, but we cannot enforce or prevent child labor without community buy-in and support.”
Toward a More Ethical Cocoa Supply Chain
The story of cocoa is one of contradiction: a product that brings happiness to consumers but often at the expense of the most vulnerable. While frameworks and technology like KoltiTrace and monitoring systems like CLMRS have enhanced traceability and risk detection, they are only one part of the solution.
“Technology can help identify risks,” Amar concluded, “but real change will only happen when producers understand the issue and have the capacity to change.”
The fight against child labor in the cocoa industry is far from over. It demands a holistic, sustained effort—from governments, corporations, NGOs, and consumers—to ensure that the joy chocolate brings is never built on the exploitation of a child’s future.
Connect with our experts to discover how digital tools like KoltiTrace and on-the-ground initiatives can improve traceability, empower rural communities, and address labor concerns in cocoa supply chains.
Resources
World Economic Forum. (2020). Chocolate supply chain: Behind the bar in Africa. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/stories/2020/11/cocoa-chocolate-supply-chain-business-bar-africa-exports/
European Commission. (2021). Ending child labour in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana: Executive summary. Retrieved from https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-07/ending-child-labour-cote-ivoire-ghana-2021-executive-summary_en.pdf
Cocoa Radar. (2024). Cocoa sector pins hope that a new framework of action on child labour will support farming communities in West Africa, but is it a false hope?. Retrieved from https://cocoaradar.com/cocoa-sector-pins-hope-that-a-new-framework-of-action-on-child-labour-will-support-farming-communities-in-west-africa-but-is-it-a-false-hope/
Graphic Online. (2024). US signs landmark framework with Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and cocoa industry to combat child labour. Retrieved from https://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/us-signs-landmark-framework-with-ghana-cote-divoire-and-cocoa-industry-to-combat-child-labour.html
CBI. (2021). Enhancing traceability in the cocoa sector. Retrieved from https://www.cbi.eu/news/enhancing-traceability-cocoa-sector
Koltiva. (n.d.). Cultivating prosperity: Protecting rural workers from forced labor and child labor. Retrieved from https://www.koltiva.com/post/cultivating-prosperity-protecting-rural-workers-from-forced-labor-and-child-labor
Writer : Kumara Anggita, Sustainability Enthusiast
Expert Contributor : Amarilis Setyanti, Agronomy Lead
Editor : Gusi Ayu Putri Chandrika Sari, Sustainable Communications Specialist
About Our Expert Contributor
With over 15 years of experience in agronomy, sustainable agriculture, and value chain development, Amarilis Setyanti serves as Agronomy Lead at Koltiva. In this role, she oversees and supports the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices, sustainability standards, and inclusive capacity-building programs across global supply chains.
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