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About this brief
Is Cocoa Production a Main Driver of Children’s Work in Ghana?
Brief about:
Journal Article (2024)
Written by:
Other researchers:
Examining the relationship between cocoa production and children’s work in Ghana, particularly differentiating types and intensities of work and comparing cocoa with other agricultural activities.
Child labor in Ghana’s cocoa sector is driven by household poverty, limited rural labor availability, and socio-cultural norms where children often contribute to family farms, especially during labor-intensive cocoa harvesting seasons. Recent regulations like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD) directive on child labor raise concerns that sector-specific interventions may inadvertently shift child labor to other areas if cocoa is the sole focus. Cocoa production, primarily undertaken by smallholder farmers under COCOBOD’s regulation, yields moderate revenue insufficient for meeting rural living wage standards, thus intensifying the need for family labor, especially during peak periods.
However, defining and regulating child labor remains challenging due to the complexities in distinguishing acceptable work from exploitative labor, especially in family-run farms. Ghana’s Children’s Act aligns with ILO standards, limiting children’s hours and prohibiting hazardous tasks, yet practical enforcement is difficult in informal sectors. Only 26% of global cocoa production follows sustainability commitments, leaving a significant portion at risk of exploitative practices. As ethical sourcing regulations grow, there is a need for holistic strategies that consider the diverse economic challenges facing Ghanaian agricultural households to reduce child labor effectively.
Key findings
- Cocoa production correlates with a higher likelihood of children working on the family farm without a corresponding increase in excessive or hazardous conditions.Evidence
In cocoa-producing households, children have a 4.4 percentage point higher probability of working on the family farm. However, this increase does not translate to either extended hours beyond national thresholds or heightened exposure to hazardous work conditions.
What it meansThis suggests that cocoa farming contributes to children's work on family farms without necessarily increasing their risk of engaging in harmful or excessive labour.
- Older children in cocoa-producing households are significantly more likely to work than younger children, including involvement in more labour-intensive activities.Evidence
Cocoa production raised all types of children's work, including general farm work, child labour, and hazardous work, for those aged 12–17, with impact sizes reaching 19.5 percentage points. For younger children (5–11), cocoa production did not significantly affect work.
What it meansThe higher work involvement for older children aligns with cultural expectations that they assist more on the farm. Age-specific policies may help mitigate potentially unsafe work conditions.
- Compared to cocoa, other agricultural activities, particularly food crop production and livestock rearing, are more strongly associated with harmful child labour.Evidence
Food crop production and livestock ownership increased children's likelihood of work on family farms by 10.2 and 5.2 percentage points, respectively, with a higher tendency towards both child labour and hazardous work conditions.
What it meansPolicies that ban child labour solely in cocoa production risk shifting this work to potentially more harmful activities, emphasizing the need for policies that address children's work in broader agricultural contexts.
- Boys are generally more involved in economic activities than girls, though cocoa production similarly affects both genders' likelihood of work.Evidence
Boys' economic activity rate was 21% compared to 17% for girls. Cocoa production increased both genders' likelihood of working on family farms by 4.0 to 9.3 percentage points, with no significant statistical difference between boys and girls.
What it meansAlthough boys report higher involvement in farm work, girls also contribute significantly, particularly through household tasks, which are often underreported as economic activities. Gender-sensitive policies that consider the full scope of children's roles would enhance policy relevance.
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Is Cocoa Production a Main Driver of Children’s Work in Ghana?
Cite this brief: Van den Broeck, Goedele. 'Is Cocoa Production a Main Driver of Children’s Work in Ghana?'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/is-cocoa-production-a-main-driver-of-childrens-work-in-ghana/
Brief created by: Professor Goedele Van den Broeck | Year brief made: 2024
Original research:
- Akaribo, F. N., & Van den Broeck, G., ‘Is Cocoa Production a Main Driver of Children’s Work in Ghana?’ 0, No. 0 (pp. 1–16) https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2024.2401416. – https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2024.2401416
Research brief:
Examining the relationship between cocoa production and children’s work in Ghana, particularly differentiating types and intensities of work and comparing cocoa with other agricultural activities.
Child labor in Ghana’s cocoa sector is driven by household poverty, limited rural labor availability, and socio-cultural norms where children often contribute to family farms, especially during labor-intensive cocoa harvesting seasons. Recent regulations like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD) directive on child labor raise concerns that sector-specific interventions may inadvertently shift child labor to other areas if cocoa is the sole focus. Cocoa production, primarily undertaken by smallholder farmers under COCOBOD’s regulation, yields moderate revenue insufficient for meeting rural living wage standards, thus intensifying the need for family labor, especially during peak periods.
However, defining and regulating child labor remains challenging due to the complexities in distinguishing acceptable work from exploitative labor, especially in family-run farms. Ghana’s Children’s Act aligns with ILO standards, limiting children’s hours and prohibiting hazardous tasks, yet practical enforcement is difficult in informal sectors. Only 26% of global cocoa production follows sustainability commitments, leaving a significant portion at risk of exploitative practices. As ethical sourcing regulations grow, there is a need for holistic strategies that consider the diverse economic challenges facing Ghanaian agricultural households to reduce child labor effectively.
Findings:
Cocoa production correlates with a higher likelihood of children working on the family farm without a corresponding increase in excessive or hazardous conditions.
In cocoa-producing households, children have a 4.4 percentage point higher probability of working on the family farm. However, this increase does not translate to either extended hours beyond national thresholds or heightened exposure to hazardous work conditions.
This suggests that cocoa farming contributes to children’s work on family farms without necessarily increasing their risk of engaging in harmful or excessive labour.
Older children in cocoa-producing households are significantly more likely to work than younger children, including involvement in more labour-intensive activities.
Cocoa production raised all types of children’s work, including general farm work, child labour, and hazardous work, for those aged 12–17, with impact sizes reaching 19.5 percentage points. For younger children (5–11), cocoa production did not significantly affect work.
The higher work involvement for older children aligns with cultural expectations that they assist more on the farm. Age-specific policies may help mitigate potentially unsafe work conditions.
Compared to cocoa, other agricultural activities, particularly food crop production and livestock rearing, are more strongly associated with harmful child labour.
Food crop production and livestock ownership increased children’s likelihood of work on family farms by 10.2 and 5.2 percentage points, respectively, with a higher tendency towards both child labour and hazardous work conditions.
Policies that ban child labour solely in cocoa production risk shifting this work to potentially more harmful activities, emphasizing the need for policies that address children’s work in broader agricultural contexts.
Boys are generally more involved in economic activities than girls, though cocoa production similarly affects both genders’ likelihood of work.
Boys’ economic activity rate was 21% compared to 17% for girls. Cocoa production increased both genders’ likelihood of working on family farms by 4.0 to 9.3 percentage points, with no significant statistical difference between boys and girls.
Although boys report higher involvement in farm work, girls also contribute significantly, particularly through household tasks, which are often underreported as economic activities. Gender-sensitive policies that consider the full scope of children’s roles would enhance policy relevance.