The Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA) is convening the Africa Cocoa Summit and Awards 2025 in Ghana to address the mounting challenges facing the continent’s cocoa sector. The summit, themed “One Voice, One Future – For a Thriving Africa,” aims to foster regional cooperation and develop a unified strategy to counteract the potential diversion of global cocoa investments away from Africa. This is crucial given that Africa produces over 70% of the world’s cocoa, primarily from countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Uganda. Despite its dominance in production, the African cocoa sector remains vulnerable due to fragmented advocacy efforts, dwindling global support, and the emergence of new threats, such as research into synthetic cocoa alternatives. COFAAA recognizes the urgency of the situation and intends to use the summit as a platform to strengthen its position and champion the interests of African cocoa farmers.
The summit’s agenda prioritizes establishing a unified policy voice for African cocoa producers. This collaborative approach seeks to amplify the continent’s influence in global cocoa markets and ensure that African farmers have a greater say in shaping the future of the industry. Key topics for discussion include promoting fair trade practices, advocating for farmer-centric pricing models, and driving the adoption of traceable and deforestation-free cocoa production methods. COFAAA believes that these initiatives are essential for securing a sustainable and prosperous future for African cocoa farmers and their communities. By uniting under a common banner, African cocoa-producing nations can leverage their collective strength to negotiate better terms within the global cocoa market and ensure that the benefits of cocoa production are equitably distributed.
The timing of the summit is particularly significant, coinciding with a period of surging global cocoa prices. COFAAA sees this as a crucial opportunity to push for systemic changes within the cocoa sector and secure better livelihoods for African cocoa farmers. The prevailing market conditions provide a favorable environment for advocating for higher prices and improved trading terms, thereby enabling African farmers to reap a greater share of the profits generated from their labor. This potential for increased revenue could significantly contribute to poverty reduction and economic development within cocoa-producing communities.
The two-day summit will feature a diverse program of events, including keynote speeches from prominent African and international agricultural leaders, panel discussions focused on market reforms and sustainability, and the prestigious COFAAA Cocoa Awards, recognizing excellence in production, leadership, and innovation within the African cocoa sector. These awards serve to highlight best practices and inspire further progress within the industry. Furthermore, the summit will serve as the launchpad for new frameworks designed to establish climate-resilient and traceable cocoa ecosystems throughout the continent. These frameworks will provide a roadmap for sustainable cocoa production, enabling African farmers to adapt to the challenges of climate change while ensuring the environmental integrity of their operations.
Adeola Adegoke, President of COFAAA and the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, emphasized the importance of proactive engagement by African stakeholders in shaping the global cocoa economy. He cautioned against passive observation while global actors reshape the industry without African input. The summit underscores COFAAA’s commitment to empowering African cocoa farmers and ensuring their voices are heard in global decision-making processes. Adegoke stressed the need for collaboration, strategic planning, and assertive leadership to secure a favorable position for African cocoa producers in the evolving global landscape. By taking a proactive stance, Africa can safeguard its interests and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable cocoa industry.
COFAAA is dedicated to alleviating poverty among African cocoa producers through inclusive advocacy, promoting shared prosperity, and engaging in coordinated policy initiatives. The organization believes that by working together, African cocoa-producing nations can overcome the challenges facing the sector and unlock the full potential of their cocoa industries. The summit represents a crucial step towards achieving this goal, providing a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and the development of innovative solutions to ensure a thriving future for African cocoa. By fostering a united front, COFAAA aims to empower African cocoa farmers, improve their livelihoods, and secure their place as key players in the global cocoa market.
