DOI: 10.11648/j.ajls.20261403.14 ISSN: 2328-5737

Effects of Cocoa Certification on Small Producers in Rural Areas of Côte d’Ivoire: The Case of the Locality of Aboisso (Southern Côte d’Ivoire)

Kouakou Apollinaire, Kouamé Djaha, Konaté N'Golo, Mian Dutronc
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This study aims to assess the impact of agricultural certification on smallholder cocoa producers in the Aboisso area of Côte d’Ivoire. To achieve this objective, interviews were conducted with managers of eight (08) cocoa cooperatives. In addition, surveys were administered to 48 certified cocoa producers and 30 non-certified producers. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to examine the main socioeconomic characteristics of producers as well as their perceptions of certification schemes. Furthermore, a Factor Analysis of Mixed Data (FAMD) was conducted to explore the multidimensional structure of the dataset and identify relationships among variables. The results reveal a relatively mature farming population, dominated by producers aged between 35 and 45 years (50%), while young producers remain underrepresented (15.38%). In addition, the majority of certified producers (61.54%) marketed their cocoa through cooperatives, highlighting the central role of producer organizations in facilitating access to certification systems. Comparative analyses revealed significant differences in favor of certified producers, who were characterized by larger farm sizes, higher production levels, and substantially greater income levels (+58%) compared with non-certified producers. Moreover, the factorial analysis combined with hierarchical clustering identified three distinct groups of producers. Group 1 consisted mainly of non-certified producers characterized by low production and income levels. Group 2 comprised moderately structured certified producers, whereas Group 3 included highly structured and high-performing certified producers with greater production intensity and higher income levels. Overall, the findings suggest that agricultural certification is associated with improved economic performance and more advanced farm organization among cocoa producers in the Aboisso area.

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