How WCF has worked with government agencies in Côte d'Ivoire to encourage sustainable farming

Richard Scobey, president of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), says that WCF seeks the partnership of governments of cocoa-producing countries at every turn. “We include them in the planning of many of our project activities, invite them to provide their viewpoints during multi-stakeholder cocoa sustainability workshops and conferences that we organise, and participate in public-private partnership platforms that they have established.”
WCF has worked jointly with government agencies in Côte d’Ivoire to develop farmer training manuals and other tools to encourage sustainable farming practices. Scobey recently met with Ghana’s new president, Nana Akufo-Addo, and the new chief executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board, to share perspectives on the country’s cocoa sector and the new government’s plans for it.

WCF’s Scobey agrees. “Naturally, each stakeholder, be it from the private sector, government or civil society, will bring a different viewpoint to the partnership and it is sometimes challenging to achieve perfect alignment across these viewpoints,” he explains. “Each stakeholder might have a different sense of urgency, and there may even be differences between the various private sector players. But when things don’t go as hoped for, it’s an opportunity for improvement.”

Scobey believes that, although these factors can create tension, they engender what is ultimately a very positive dynamic that brings greater benefit in terms of shared sustainability goals. “For an issue as complex as cocoa sustainability, one person, one organisation, one government or one company alone simply cannot transform the sector.”

This article is part of our in-depth briefing on how business is navigating the new B2G environment. See also Business called to top table to deliver SDGs, For B2G, you first need B2B, and Why it pays to go Dutch with suppliers 

 

 

 

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