Chocolate Lovers Fight Child Labor

You’ve probably seen a surge of “fair trade chocolate” at your favorite grocery store of chocolatier, but what does it really mean?

For some, chocolate is an impulse purchase, for others a treat, and still others eat very dark chocolate daily as part of a health regimen. Unfortunately, many chocolates use at least some child labor as part of the process. The entire cocoa industry is plagued with child labor workers, but fair trade chocolate is putting an end to that.

It doesn’t matter if you prefer vegan hot chocolate or white chocolate truffles because all types of chocolate can be made without the use of child labor. What’s been dubbed an “alternative approach” might become mainstream in coming years just like shopping organic or going to farmer’s markets. Basically, the link between cocoa farmers and people like you who buy and eat chocolate need to nix any child labour which is finally getting more recognition on a global scale.

Your chocolate indulgence

In order to make fair trade chocolates, this requires higher wages, direct selling and credit for smaller farms. In return, producers promise that only the highest economic, environmental and social conditions are upheld. It’s happened organically that fair trade farmers have begun to organize themselves into cooperatives, agreeing to a set price which includes a premium price for organic certified products. Those premiums are then re-directed into other development projects including organic certification programs or new schools on a local level.

In abiding by the Fair Trade certification system, any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are strictly prohibited. This means fewer agrochemicals, more sustainable farming, and better overall chocolates for you to enjoy. Importers who are on board purchase from these producers directly, which gets rid of middlemen and helps with lowering costs. The most important factor is that child labor as part of this agreement isn’t even remotely allowed.

Just the facts

Sadly, 50 million youths between the ages of four and 15 are child laborers in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. This doesn’t account for the child labor around the world, even including parts of the US. It’s unfortunately ironic that a treat so often associated with children actually utilizes young kids to make them. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a study entitled “Regional Initiative Combating Worst Forms of Child Labor on West African Cocoa Farms” in 2009 which kick-started the recognition of this issue.

Of all Africa, Cote d’ivoire and Ghana are the biggest cocoa producers, and 50 percent of children on cocoa farms have been in at least one dangerous activity in their lives. This may be spraying pesticides which are toxic or carrying bundles that are sometimes literally backbreaking. Fortunately, the surge in fair trade chocolate allows everyone to take a stand against child labor while also enjoying a better tasting treat. Start experimenting, mixing new chocolates with fair trade coffee, and discovery and entirely new world of chocolate that’s sweet in more ways than one and the perfect splurge on the daily.