cocoa

Do Cocoa Plantation Slaves in West Africa Produce Your Favorite Chocolate?

...........Cocoa is the essential ingredient for making chocolates. A
significant proportion of the world production of cocoa is grown and harvested
on plantations by African slaves...........

Chocolate and Slavery:
Child Labor in Cote d'Ivoire

.............1. The Issue
There is a surprising association between
chocolate and child labor in the Cote d'Ivoire. Young boys whose ages range from
12 to 16 have been sold into slave labor and are forced to work in cocoa farms
in order to harvest the beans, from which chocolate is made, under inhumane
conditions and extreme abuse. This West African country is the leading exporter
of cocoa beans to the world market. Thus, the existence of slave labor is
relevant to the entire international economic community. Through trade
relations, many actors are inevitably implicated in this problem, whether it is
the Ivorian government, the farmers, the American or European chocolate
manufacturers, or consumers who unknowingly buy chocolate. Discussions have
arisen regarding how to respond to the problem. Issues mentioned include causes
of slave labor relating to the economic system and to the country's dependence
on an unstable export crop. There are also debates concerning the appropriate
response from the chocolate industry, government officials, and consumers
concerning whether there should be boycotting, establishment of government
legislation to put "made by slaves" labels on products, or whether some type of
international cooperation is needed to ensure improved working conditions. The
complexity of the problem makes finding an effective solution a challenging
task............

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHICH CHOCOLATE AND COCOA YOU PURCHASE.