By Alia Dharssi for Asparagus Magazine,
December 2018
Ahh, chocolate. It’s silky, rich and melts in your mouth. But the process of getting that deliciousness to your mouth is decidedly less smooth. Cocoa production is linked to child labour, slavery, deforestation, and low wages.
In Ivory Coast and Ghana — where most cocoa is grown — smallholder farmers struggle with extreme poverty in the face of large price fluctuations, and 2.1 million children help tend the crops. These issues are highlighted in the 2018 Cocoa Barometer, a report produced by a consortium of not-for-profits. Meanwhile, palm oil and soy, two common ingredients in chocolate bars, are key drivers of global deforestation.
Even though major chocolate companies have taken steps to clean up their supply chains over the past decade, and pledged to source 100% certified ethical and sustainable cocoa by 2020, the Cocoa Barometer says the industry has a long way to go.
[… ] Read the rest of this Decider at asparagusmagazine.com.
