Chocolate demand remained strong throughout the pandemic as the world's most popular comfort food was one of the pleasures continued to enjoy from their own homes.
The farmers who grow precious cocoa, however, saw little benefit.
Cocoa is the essential ingredient of chocolate and has no substitute. More than 70 per cent of the world's supply of cocoa comes from West Africa, according to Netherlands-based industry monitor Cocoa Barometer.
Of this, half comes from just two countries – Ghana and Ivory Coast. Other regional countries such as Nigeria and Cameroon are also expanding production, keen to grab a slice of the market that supplies the $130 billion chocolate industry.
“Cocoa has been an important commodity for our country,” says Hajia Maria Adamu-Zibo, the chief executive of Federated Commodities, a Ghana-based cocoa trader. The company is one of a growing number of local firms moving into an industry traditionally dominated by offshore companies from the US and Europe.
“Cocoa is not just a cash crop for us; it has also become part of our politics. The cocoa sector feeds about 800,000 people in the country and issues that affect the industry can be quite emotive.”
Just how emotive it can be was demonstrated in December, when US confectionary company Hershey’s enraged the primary suppliers in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, when it purchased a large quantity of cocoa through ICE Futures, a New York-based commodity exchange.
As one of the world’s largest confectionary producers, Hershey’s would usually purchase directly through West African in-country brokers. This time it went outside the usual channels, it is said, because it wanted to avoid a $400 surcharge these countries recently started to impose.
The ‘Living Income Differential’ (LID) as the surcharge is called, is paid directly to farmers, and is intended to increase their incomes. Farmers, who typically earn half a dollar a day over a 12-month period, would see their returns boosted by a third, thanks to the LID.
“Any brand that is seen not to be serious in accepting the LID by mid-December 2020 must consider all its cocoa beans from Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire as conventional,” Joseph Aidoo, chief executive of Ghanaian regulator Cocobod. told the World Cocoa Foundation's conference in November.
By ‘conventional’, Mr Aidoo was referring to the various certifications coveted by confection makers, that declare their products are sourced from exploitation-free farms, that do not use child labour, or contribute to deforestation. “We are prepared to name and shame these brands,” he said.
Certifications are increasingly important to consumers, especially younger, more socially-conscious chocolate buyers. Exploitation-free productions command a premium, and so Hershey’s quickly caved and said it would pay the LID.
Cargill, the US food and agricultural trader, published a study in December that shows consumers are happy to pay a premium for ethically-sourced cocoa.
“Consumer expectations are higher now than ever before,” says Niels Boetje, managing director Cocoa at Cargill.
Among 18-to-34-year-olds, 76 per cent of those polled by Cargill said sustainability has become more important to them in the past year when choosing chocolate products.
Just over half of these also declared they were swapping conventional products for those deemed to be ethical, even if they cost more. “Our research suggests that increasingly, consumers look for responsibly-sourced brands.”
The $400 LID supplements the $1,400 or so that farmers earned per ton, over the last season. This puts farmers’ earnings per ton over $1,800, meaning the farm gate price is closer to the $2,500 per ton cocoa currently fetches on international commodities exchanges.
It is hoped the LID will also spur demand for workers. A typical grower uses two acres of land, according to the Cocoa Barometer, and produces half a ton of beans a season. The land needs to be kept clear of weeds and other growth, with trees pruned and replanted, if necessary.
“Cocoa is labour-intensive, and we have a lot of unemployed people in Ghana,” says Nelson Kpodo-Tay, operations director at Armajo Ghana, a cocoa trading house based in the capital, Accra. The larger the acerage, the more workers are needed, which put farmers in a bind. “Labour costs around 200 cedis ($34.06) to work one acre. Bigger farms mean more cost.”
The 28 per cent increase in income delivered by the LID will go a long way to making extra labour more affordable, Mr Kpodo-Tay notes.
For now, most major confectioners including Mars, Nestle and Barry Callebaut have fallen in line to support the LID. Both Ghana and Ivory Coast insist it is here to stay.
The newly re-elected president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo made the LID a central plank of his campaign strategy that swept him to victory last month. Sworn in for his second term on January 7, Mr Akufo-Addo says it will change the Ghanaian agriculture sector for good.
“The LID has been in the air for some time,” he told local broadcast station OkayFM, shortly before the elections. “It’s now implemented, and it is going to be part of the cocoa pricing policy for Ghana and Ivory Coast. It’s taken some time, but now the policy is working.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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More coverage from the Future Forum
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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'Nope'
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Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
