FAO engages cocoa cooperatives to comply with EU zero deforestation regulation.

It was organised by the FAO in Yaounde with technical support from Proforest. The event brought together key stakeholders from the cocoa sector.

According to the FAO, the workshop was to review the results of a comprehensive assessment of the Cocoa Producer Organization, Pos, and validate the resulting capacity building and investment plans.

Speaking during the event, the representative of FAO, Antonio Querido Ph.D, said it was part of the implementation of Cocoa Action 8.

Dr Querido said it was one of the 13 actions identified through the inclusive “Cocoa Talks” dialogue between Cameroon and the European Union Commission, conducted between 2021 and 2023.

Supported by the EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative, the FAO representative revealed that the process aims to improve producer’s incomes, eliminate child labour, and reduce deforestation in the cocoa sector.

He emphasised that the study that was validated was inclusive and that they reached out to several cooperatives and had talks on how to continue to export not only the EU but to the other markets elsewhere.

Dr Querido said the FAO was committed to strengthen the capacity of cocoa cooperatives to comply with the EU regulation 2023/1115 on deforestation-free production, promoting sustainable cocoa in Cameroon.

“We have conducted detailed analyses when it comes to the revenue within the sector. We have also assessed the child labour in cocoa, we now present need of the cooperatives in terms of investments for them to be compliant with the regulation of the EU,” Dr Querido said.

He added that: “We believe that before the end of this year, we would be able to produce a series of cartography that shows where cocoa is being produced and to demonstrate indeed that producers in Cameroon are compliant with the EU norm”.

Dr Querido seized the occasion to thank the EU for the financial resources made available for the smooth implementation of the cocoa actions.

He also expressed gratitude to the government for the trust and reaffirmed the FAO’s commitment to supporting the vital mission of providing Cameroon with the documents needed to facilitate the marketing of its cocoa to the EU.

Enter MINADER representative

The representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, MINADER, Ngeulo Colince, lauded the FAO for its commendable work in ensuring the cocoa sector thrives. 

“FAO is putting in their technical skills and also to contribute through their different experts to upgrade the status of different cooperatives technically and to look for funds that can support us to ensure that we reach our goals,” Ngeulo said.

Ngeulo, who is also Deputy Director of Phytosanitary Interventions, said through the efforts of the FAO, the different cooperative will be ready to face challenges and comply with the regulation put in place by the EU on deforestation.

The workshop was attended by key actors in the cocoa sector including public administration officials, support projects and institutions, private sector representatives, producer organizations, Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs, technical and financial partners and certification bodies.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3579 of Monday September 29, 2025