Mighty Earth’s Cocoa Accountability Map 3.0 Reveals 47,000 Hectares of Deforestation in Prominent Cocoa-Growing Regions of West Africa
In the launch of its third update of the Cocoa Accountability Map, the global environmental campaign organization, Mighty Earth, revealed that 47,000 hectares of deforestation―more than four times the size of the city of Paris―has occurred in cocoa-growing regions of Côte d’Ivoire, in the past year. This is despite the government and the cocoa industry’s commitment to reach zero deforestation and establish a joint monitoring mechanism under the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI). The insight draws on data from the satellite-based Forest Disturbance Early Warning System, which shows nearly 70,000 hectares of forest disturbance in the world’s largest cocoa-producing country.
In collaboration with Map Hubs and Vivid Economics – IMAGES, the groundbreaking resource now empowers companies and the government to better execute monthly due diligence investigations. Covering almost 2,000 cocoa co-ops in Côte D’Ivoire, the third version of the interactive map and integrated database allows users to examine deforestation patterns; gain access to deforestation alert maps, a map of child labor and a list of legally regulated pisteurs; and consult its Deforestation Risk Index to predict deforestation in the future.
The Cocoa Accountability Map 3.0 is widely expected to contribute to the growing traceability and transparency revolution by including newly disclosed information about nearly every major cocoa and chocolate company’s cocoa supply chain within Côte D’Ivoire. It also showcases cocoa supply chain research created by Trase, revealing international trade flows of cocoa from Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
“The Cocoa Accountability Map 3.0 builds upon the trailblazing work Mighty Earth is doing to establish a joint monitoring mechanism for cocoa,” said Samuel Mawutor, Senior Advisor at Mighty Earth. “Though there are several industry players making great strides to disclose more information about their global supply chain, the industry is still lacking in transparency and accountability. This map fills in the gap and does the work that industry and the government promised to do under the CFI. We’re proud to collaborate with partners Vivid Economics, Trase and Enveritas to make it more effective to monitor the environment and human rights at the same time.”
“Mighty Earth’s work to improve transparency in the cocoa industry in Cote d’Ivoire is urgent and very important,” said Drissa Bamba, President of the Ivorian Human Rights Movement. “As an organization dedicated to the defense and promotion of human rights, we can only welcome this commitment and invite other stakeholders―government, traders, and companies―to give it their full support. This will improve the good governance of the sector and put an end to many human rights violations.”
Despite the contributions of leading cocoa and chocolate companies, there are many that still have not yet adequately responded to instances of deforestation in their supply chains and are still grappling with how to increase the traceability of their product beyond the co-op level.
“Mighty Earth calls on all companies to immediately publish their supply chain on their website, including all their indirect supply chains, SPOTT market purchases and pisteurs.” said Amourlaye Toure, Senior Advisor at Mighty Earth. “No company can be deemed sustainable if it embraces opacity. There is so much to be done for the traceability and transparency revolution to bear real fruit.”
The Cocoa Accountability Map 3.0 is the third version of a map Mighty Earth launched in 2020 to promote transparency in the cocoa supply chains ―in a $100 billion industry that continues to struggle with eliminating deforestation and child labor practices. Since then, Mighty Earth has continuously improved the tool, encouraging interested parties to submit additional information. In the near future, Mighty Earth will release its cocoa supply chain research of the United States based on an analysis of the country’s customs data.
###
About Mighty Earth
Mighty Earth is a global environmental campaign organization that works to protect forests, conserve oceans, and address climate change. We work in Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and North America to drive large-scale action towards environmentally responsible agriculture that protects native ecosystems, wildlife, and water, and respects local community rights. Mighty Earth’s team has played a decisive role in persuading the world’s largest food and agriculture companies to dramatically improve their environmental and social policies and practices. More information on Mighty Earth can be found at www.mightyearth.org/.
