Italian Startups Address Cocoa Supply Chain Crisis Through Innovative Technology
The cocoa supply chain is in crisis, with the cost of raw materials rising by as much as 30-40% and retail prices increasing by 15%. This is largely driven by climate change, which is causing rising temperatures and reduced precipitation — especially in Ghana and Ivory Coast, which together produce around 60% of the world’s cocoa. These factors, combined with seasonal floods, have allowed diseases and parasites that attack cocoa crops to proliferate. Simultaneously, child labour in the industry is on the rise, increasing from 31% to 45% in West Africa between 2008 and 2019; an estimated 1.5 million children are now being exploited in the region. Geopolitical instability and increases in transportation and energy costs are introducing further challenges. These issues have highlighted the …
