First Meeting of the Sustainable Cocoa Committee in Cameroon

Yaoundé, 09 February 2023 – The first session of the Sustainable Cocoa Committee in Cameroon” was held on 09 February 2023 in Yaoundé following its official launch. The Committee was co-chaired by the representatives of the Cameroonian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Minister of Trade and was attended by representatives of the public and private sector, civil society, and research organizations.

The “Sustainable Cocoa Committee in Cameroon” is a multi-stakeholder consultation platform created through a joint decision (MINADER/MINCOMMERCE Decision N0: 0390 of Nov. 2022) which stipulates its organization and role. The establishment of this Committee was facilitated by IDH.

presentative-of-the-Cameroonian-Minister-of-Agriculture-and-Rural-Development-leads-the-first-meeting-of-the-Sustainable-Cocoa-Committee
Representative of the Cameroonian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development leads the first meeting of the Sustainable Cocoa Committee

 

The Role of the Sustainable Cocoa Committee

This Committee is a national platform that includes a decision-making body referred to as “Committee”, a Technical Secretariat which provides technical recommendations to the Committee and the Technical Working Groups responsible for developing the technical contents.

The Committee aims to conduct consultations with public partners and the private sector, stakeholders in the cocoa value chain, to effectively implement the commitments made by Cameroon in the production and marketing of sustainable cocoa.

The first session held by the Sustainable Cocoa Committee focused on recommendations presented by the Technical Secretariat for the committee’s approval. These included, among others, the 2023 Operational Plan and Budget; the creation of four thematic working groups; officially giving the mandate to the Technical secretariat to elaborate on the following:

  • A medium-term expenditure framework (three years)
  • 2023 annual report and other intermediary report

    First meeting of the Sustainable Cocoa Committee in Cameroon
    First meeting of the Sustainable Cocoa Committee in Cameroon

Key Activities:

Activities of the Sustainable-Cocoa Committee Cameroon
Activities of the Sustainable-Cocoa Committee Cameroon

The Committee’s activities include among others:

    • Ensure the harmonization and coherence of stakeholders’ activities towards the establishment of a cocoa production and marketing value chain that meets international requirements for environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
    • Monitor the implementation of the “Roadmap for a sustainable, deforestation-free cocoa
    • Propose measures to the government regarding fair income of cocoa producers and curb the worse form of child labour in the cocoa value chain.
    • Strengthen climate change adaptation and carbon emission reduction potential of the cocoa sector.
    • Make recommendations on issues related to the evolution of international regulations on sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
    • Contribute to the promotion of transparency and traceability in the sustainable cocoa value chain.
    • Develop, with reference to national and international standards, a guide to sustainable cocoa in Cameroon.
    • Promote best practices in the development and management of projects related to the sustainable production and marketing of cocoa in Cameroon.
    • Study and propose necessary measures and  guidelines  for the implementation of these commitments at the national or international level for sustainable cocoa production and marketing.

IDH played a role in convening stakeholders and facilitating the establishment of this Committee and will continue to support the Cameroonian stakeholders in the implementation phase.