Story, Louvier Kindo Tombe
At a national validation workshop held in Yaoundé on September 25, stakeholders from farmer cooperatives to government institutions, NGOs, private companies, and international partners joined forces to validate a roadmap that will strengthen the capacity of cocoa cooperatives to comply with new European Union regulations.
The workshop, convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with technical support from Proforest, was part of Cocoa Action 8, one of the priority measures agreed under the “Cocoa Talks” dialogue between Cameroon and the European Commission (2021–2023).
Backed by the EU’s Sustainable Cocoa Initiative, the action specifically targets the organization, training, and investment needs of cooperatives, the frontline actors who connect smallholder farmers to global supply chains.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguelo Collince, Sub-Director of Phytosanitary Interventions at MINADER, underlined government’s determination to see Cameroon’s cocoa meet the strict sustainability standards of international markets.
“FAO, through their technical expertise, is boosting the process to ensure that our cooperatives are well organized and prepared to face the EU regulations,” he said.
For FAO, this initiative marks a critical shift from dialogue to delivery. Representing the Organization, Antonia Guerido stressed the importance of evidence-based planning and cooperative ownership.
“We believe that by the end of this year, we will be able to produce a cartography to demonstrate that producers in Cameroon are compliant with EU regulations,” he declared.
The validation workshop builds on a detailed assessment of producer organizations conducted earlier this year, identifying their needs in governance, traceability, financial management, and sustainable farming practices.
The resulting capacity-building and investment plans, once refined and adopted, will guide targeted support and unlock strategic financing for cooperatives.
Ultimately, the initiative reflects a broader alliance between government, producers, civil society, and international partners to transform cocoa into a driver of sustainable livelihoods while protecting Cameroon’s forests.
By empowering cooperatives to lead the way, Cameroon is signaling that the country’s cocoa future will not only be profitable but also deforestation-free.
