Our Action Plan

Child Labour

The United Nations International Labour Organisation estimates that 132 million children aged 5 to 14 work in agriculture around the world, in many cases out of sheer economic necessity. What is acceptable and prohibited is guided by a number of internationally agreed conventions, notably Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour and Convention 138 on the minimum age for work. For further information click here.

There are very few commercially managed cocoa farms, and most small-holder farmers continue to use traditional farming methods. All of the work preparing the land, planting the trees, maintenance, harvesting, fermenting and drying is done manually. Cocoa farming is therefore very labour intensive. This is good in terms of providing job opportunities in rural areas, so long as the work is fairly paid and carried out in proper conditions without exploitation.

Farmers need help at key times during the growing season and for most farmers their family is the main or only source of labour. In poor communities, for example in West Africa, there is real pressure to keep costs down in order to maintain income levels. At peak times, all family members are generally involved.