'My favorite photograph? Well... an hour ago it was a photograph from Africa, now it is one from Iran, and you could go on like that.
Like 40% of the population of Ivory Coast, this family also depends on cocoa production. The family owns a substantial plot of land that would normally generate enough income to send their fourteen children to school and lead a reasonably normal life. Unfortunately, this supplier of the basic ingredient for our chocolate bars and bonbons earns barely any money.
The government of Ivory Coast uses cocoa revenue for the arms trade, and a great deal of money also ends up with corrupt officials. Under international pressure, the government had to liberalize the cocoa trade at the beginning of this century. The price fell immediately. The world-market price also dropped dramatically because too much cocoa was being produced worldwide and Europeans needed less cocoa. That, in turn, resulted from European politicians’ decision to allow fats other than cocoa butter in chocolate production.
All the children on the farm worked about eleven hours a day in production. It was hard work. They lived on two meals a day. The photograph starkly reveals the divide between rich and poor. The pot is emptied down to the last grain. I would wager that of the fifty chocolate bars we buy in a store, barely a cent reaches this farmer.
The wealthy countries and chocolate factories pay no attention to this. They are interested only in cheap cocoa and chocolate. Why are there no rules to protect poor cocoa farmers? Consumers play an important role. Small farmers in the Global South need consumers who want to eat real chocolate and are willing to pay a fair price for their bar. As much as 60% of the amount you pay for a chocolate bar goes to the wrapper alone. Why does a bar list how much fat and protein it contains, but not how much of the proceeds reaches farmers in Africa? If we as consumers knew how our money was spent, we would surely be outraged, protest, and be able to help distribute wealth more fairly in our world.'
- Name: Geert van Kesteren (1966)
- Based in: Amsterdam
- Portfolio: Self-managed
- Info: www.whymisterwhy.com or www.baghdadcalling.com
