Cocoa farming, cheap chocolate and child labor

The CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board (GCB) says Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire have agreed to set up a stabilisation fund under its new pricing mechanism for cocoa beans to support farmers should producer prices drop on the international markets. Edward George, Independent Commodities Expert joins CNBC Africa for more.

Bolivia has the world's lowest minimum age for child labor. Children there can work legally for themselves or their families. Once they hit 12, they can work for others. It's estimated that there are around 850,000 child laborers.

Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana plan to re-examine the Cocoa industry’s sustainability schemes. To discuss this and more stories impacting the global cocoa market, Independent Commodities Expert, Edward George joins CNBC Africa for more.

Great attention is required to increase the quantity and quality of Cocoa production in Nigeria. It is estimated that over 4.5 million tonnes of cocoa beans is consumed annually with the prospect of the figure increasing

Farmers in Nigeria are hoping to take control of cocoa prices to improve their standard of living. Ghana and the Ivory Coast have already instituted price reforms.

A thief in Austria made off with €50,000 worth of Milka chocolate in a truck after convincing a factory that he was the courier. The police say incidents of this type have become more common in recent years.

Bad news for chocolate lovers? Cocoa in Ivory Coast threatened by deforestation

The inability to link Ivorian cocoa to the farmers raises questions on the sustainability of Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa sector. That’s according to Edward George an Independent Commodities expert. George notes that at least 3 quarters of Ivorian cocoa production is not traced back to its source but adds that new technology can make it possible to digitally connect the farmer to the value chain. He joins CNBC Africa to discuss how technology is helping to improve cocoa production in Cote d’Ivoire.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers need masks and morale-boosters. Teri Schultz visits a Belgian sweet shop that offers both.

In Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos, Femi Oyedipe's locally produced chocolate is competing on the shelves with foreign imports that dominate the market.

Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire plan to raise the price farmers get paid for cocoa by about 21 per cent. Both countries account for over 60 per cent of the global production of the cocoa bean. Chike Nwagwu, CEO of Novus Agro, joins CNBC Africa’s Esther Awoniyi for more.

Ghana has announced an increase of the guaranteed cocoa price it pays to farmers by 28% per ton for the new growing season. It's the West African nation's latest attempt to improve the livelihoods of its farmers.