Billions in Cocoa And Coffee, But Farmers Stay Poor — Africa Calls It a Growing Crisis

(Cocoa and Coffee. Photo by Punch Newspaper)

African farmers claim they are experiencing worsening economic conditions despite record growth expectations in the global cocoa and coffee industries, cautioning that the industry's expansion is concealing a severe and ongoing crisis at the production level.

According to the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa, farmers in West, East, and Central Africa are suffering the most from severe price instability despite global markets surging toward unprecedented valuations. As a result, the organization has called for immediate international involvement.

The cocoa and coffee industries are about to enter a phase of robust long-term expansion, according to a statement released on Tuesday by Adeola Adegoke, Global President of COCEFAAA. She noted that the market for cocoa and chocolate is expected to grow from over $169 billion in 2025 to approximately $246 billion, driven by increasing demand for premium and dark chocolate products, especially in Europe and emerging markets in Asia.

According to him, the global coffee market is expected to grow from approximately $284 billion today to around $486 billion by 2035, fuelled by premiumisation and the rapid expansion of ready-to-drink coffee products.

COCEFAAA cautions that farmer earnings are not keeping up with this growth, though. Rather, a large portion of Africa's cocoa and coffee production comes from smallholder farmers, who are increasingly subject to volatile pricing mechanisms that frequently fall short of production costs.

The effects are severe in many farming areas. Farmers say they can no longer afford fertilizers, labour, and climate-resilient seedlings. In some areas, families are withdrawing children from school or cutting back on healthcare expenses as incomes fluctuate sharply with global commodity prices,” he added.

COCEFAAA describes farmers as “economic shock absorbers” within the global supply chain, absorbing losses when prices fall while seeing limited benefit when prices rise.

The association argued that this imbalance is undermining long-term sustainability in the sector.

These issues are being made worse by climate change. Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are reducing yields in traditional growing regions, forcing some farmers to relocate to higher altitudes or abandon farms entirely.

Simultaneously, the industry is shifting toward more heat-resistant varieties such as Fine Robusta coffee, which COCEFAAA says presents both a challenge and an opportunity for African producers—if supported with the right investment. 

The association warns that without structural reform, global supply chains could become unstable. Declining farmer incomes, it says, will eventually lead to reduced production capacity, threatening the very growth forecasts that the industry relies on.

"To overcome these obstacles, COCEFAAA is calling for three major policy shifts. First, increased investment in agricultural research and development, particularly in drought-resistant, pest-resistant, and early-maturing crop varieties.

“Second, greater investment in local processing and value addition, including domestic roasting and cocoa processing facilities, to ensure more value remains within Africa rather than being captured overseas.

“Third, stronger regional cooperation among African producing countries to improve collective bargaining power and reduce exposure to global price shocks,” the statement added.

The organisation is also urging global buyers and manufacturers to adopt long-term purchasing agreements that guarantee stable and livable incomes for farmers, alongside increased investment in training, inputs, and climate adaptation support.

COCEFAAA also emphasized the significance of expanding trade relationships beyond traditional markets, pointing to growing demand in Asia and India as a strategic opportunity for diversification and stability.

We are unable to discuss a multibillion-dollar cocoa and coffee industry while the people who produce these commodities struggle to survive,” the association noted. “If global projections for 2031 and 2035 are to be realised, then farmers must be placed at the centre of the value chain, not at its margins.”

It was determined by the organization that the future of the cocoa and coffee industries will depend not only on market growth, but on whether that growth is shared more equitably with the millions of farmers who sustain it.

Adegoke stressed, “The message from Africa’s producers is clear: the boom in global markets must not continue to coexist with crisis at the farm level.”