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By Valerie Beard, Conservation International
At the recent annual World Cocoa Foundation conference in São Paulo, industry leaders identified two critical priorities for the remainder of the year: radical sector-wide collaboration and the need for improved cocoa research.
These priorities align with Conservation International’s (CI) research, with funding from Mars, spanning 12 cocoa-producing countries, including eight in the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration Impact Program (FOLUR): Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Liberia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, and Peru.
Key Findings for FOLUR Country Projects:
While each of 12 published country briefs stand alone, several major sustainability procurement trends emerged that may influence FOLUR country project teams:
- Expansion of cocoa area was evident in more than half of the countries assessed.
- Cocoa-driven deforestation occurred in nearly all countries, often near high-risk forest areas.
- Data gaps remain acute. At the time of publication, Cameroon and Nigeria, for example, lacked national cocoa production data and relied on FAO estimates.
- Forest definitions vary, often featuring multiple per country.
- Forest monitoring capacity differs; some nations have national systems while others depend on global tools.
- Land tenure insecurity is widespread, with limited data on women cocoa farmers.
- Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is relevant in most producing countries, but guidelines vary widely.
The research underscored how fragmented governance complicates cocoa sustainability. In Peru, eight agencies oversee cocoa and seven regulate forests. In Cameroon, 10 ministries manage forest enforcement. Similar complexity exists in other FOLUR countries. These overlapping authorities can hinder alignment on conservation and agriculture.
Good governance and enabling policy conditions are linked to higher yields and more sustainable production. However, political changes can quickly alter forest and cocoa policies, influencing multi-stakeholder initiatives.
In FOLUR countries such as Nigeria and Papua New Guinea, national cocoa data is incomplete or outdated, making it hard to track compliance with deforestation regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Indonesia provides a stronger model, with regional data on cocoa tree maturity that identifies where production is expanding versus where it is established.
Forest monitoring also needs strengthening. Countries define and classify “forest” differently, and while tools like Global Forest Watch, which provides data on forests are useful, ground-truthing by direct observation remains essential.
Additionally, land tenure reform is critical. Secure tenure is linked to lower deforestation rates, yet the cost and process to obtain land rights vary widely. FPIC, which recognizes the rights of Indigenous Peoples worldwide, is beneficial in FOLUR countries, though Indigenous populations are not always near cocoa zones (e.g., in Nigeria).
Aligning with FOLUR:
For FOLUR country projects, CI’s findings point to clear actions:
- Strengthen sub-national cocoa production data collection.
- Support legal frameworks and market incentives for forest protection.
- Adopt rigorous forest definitions across sourcing origins; using the strictest definition may help companies move beyond basic compliance.
- Improve land tenure security, especially for women farmers.
- Standardize FPIC processes and extend them to local communities.
Cocoa demand is rising, and FOLUR cocoa country projects play a pivotal role in laying the groundwork to ensure sustainable supply. The industry, in tandem, has recognized the need for radical collaboration and upgraded data systems.
As the briefs advise, by improving production data, clarifying forest definitions, securing land tenure, and fostering collaborative governance, stakeholders can align cocoa sector work with broader conservation and climate goals.
Sound conservation science and coordinated stakeholder action in-country can help make forest-friendly chocolate supply possible.
Interested in learning more? Please find a recent webinar recording from the UNDP Food Systems FOLUR FACs Community, “Sustainable Cocoa Pathways: Industry Trends and National Production Insights,” by clicking here.
[Published Aug. 28, 2025]
