Originally published in Ethical Corporation, this piece features Christian Mensah of the Rainforest Alliance making the case that the cocoa industry must redirect its efforts toward the farmers who are most at risk. Rather than encouraging top-performing producers to expand their operations — often into forested land — the focus should be on helping the most vulnerable smallholders replant and rehabilitate existing farmland.

A changing world: people, planet, profit

The discussion took place against the backdrop of the World Cocoa Foundation's 28th partnership meeting in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The gathering's theme — "people, planet, profit in a changing world" — underscored the interconnected challenges facing the cocoa sector: rural poverty, climate pressure, and the relentless push for yield.

Mensah's central argument was straightforward: deforestation is not driven solely by large-scale agricultural expansion. Smallholder farmers, struggling with declining soil fertility and aging trees, often clear new forest plots because they lack the resources to rejuvenate the land they already farm. Targeted support for replanting — access to improved seedlings, training in agroforestry techniques, and financial safety nets during the transition — could break this cycle.

Why the most vulnerable matter

Industry programs have historically favoured farmers who are already productive, on the assumption that investing in success yields the fastest returns. But this approach leaves the poorest farmers behind and, perversely, increases pressure on forests as those farmers seek new land to survive.

The Rainforest Alliance's position, as articulated by Mensah, calls for a shift in priorities:

  • Direct resources toward farmers with the lowest yields and the greatest risk of encroaching on forest.
  • Provide long-term technical assistance for replanting rather than one-off interventions.
  • Integrate shade trees and diversified crops to improve both resilience and income.

"We have to help the poorest small cocoa farmers to prevent deforestation — not just the top performers to expand production."

The cocoa sector's sustainability commitments depend on reaching those at the margins. Without inclusive support, deforestation will continue regardless of how efficiently the top tier of producers operates.