African Cocoa, Coffee Alliance Launches Strategy to Boost Value Addition

News in Brief

-Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance launched a three-year plan to tackle low yields, poor processing, and value loss in the sector across Africa.

-The phased strategy emphasises sustainable practices, farmer training, and traceability to boost Africa's coffee market share to 20% by 2030.

Farmers under the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) have announced a comprehensive three-year development plan aimed at revitalising smallholder farming across the continent.

The initiative seeks to address longstanding challenges in production, value addition, and market access, positioning Africa as a key player in the global cocoa and coffee economy. 

Global President of the association, Comrade Adeola Adegoke, highlighted the plan during a recent webinar, emphasising its potential to boost farmer incomes and sustainable practices.

Alliance Formation and Expansion

COCEFAAA emerged from the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA) following a board resolution on March 24, 2026, to merge cocoa and coffee interests and amplify the voice of farmers across West, Central, and East Africa. This transition builds a stronger platform connecting producers from countries such as Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, and emerging coffee regions. The move aligns with ongoing efforts by Nigerian stakeholders, including Adegoke's roles as Director-General of the Cocoa Roundtable Initiative (CORI) and President of the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), to push for sector growth.

Persistent Challenges in Production and Value Chains

Underdevelopment in pre- and post-harvest activities, low yields per hectare, lack of climate-resilient varieties, and limited processing capacity remain major hurdles for African cocoa and coffee farmers. These issues have led to job exports, minimal GDP contributions from raw commodity sales, and per capita earnings below one dollar per day for smallholders. 

According to Adegoke, despite Africa's dominance in global cocoa production (about 70%), producing roughly 3.46 million metric tonnes (mmt) out of 4.84 mmt, the continent still captures less than 10% of the $120 billion annual chocolate market, exporting raw beans worth around $10 billion.

West Africa's output is led by Côte d’Ivoire (1.85 mt), Ghana (750,000 t), Nigeria (over 340,000 t), and Cameroon (320,000 t), yet value loss persists due to raw exports. Recent forecasts indicate challenges ahead, with West Africa facing a potential 10% drop in 2025/26 output amid diseases, ageing trees, and climate impacts, though Nigeria may see gains.

Progress in Value Addition Efforts

Adegoke, however, noted that African nations are gradually responding to the challenge by shifting towards processing to retain more value. Côte d’Ivoire, he said, is now the world's top cocoa grinder, processing nearly 800,000 tonnes locally, while Ghana has committed to processing 50% of its cocoa domestically while ensuring traceability for global standards. These steps reflect a continental push against raw exports, mirroring successes in other sectors like Nigeria's 592% rise in cocoa product exports to ₦2.712 trillion in 2024.

Core Elements of the Three-Year Plan

The COCEFAAA plan repositions Africa beyond production to value-driven participation. Key focuses include sustainable intensification, agroforestry, cooperative strengthening for market access, policy advocacy, yield optimisation, local processing investments (grinding, roasting), infrastructure, and community support. It aligns with goals to raise Africa's coffee market share to 20% by 2030, boosting intra-African trade and consumption in markets such as Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria.

Implementation will unfold in phases, according to Adegoke. Phase one, which commences in 2026, builds governance, funding, and GPS mapping, while phase two emphasises training and diversification for 60% farmer reach and by 2027, phase three will introduce digital traceability and EUDR compliance. Sustainability features climate-smart practices, pest management, and soil health to counter threats like those projected for 2026 cocoa shifts in Nigeria (up 40%) and Côte d’Ivoire (down 50%).