MISSION
Study
CASE STUDY
Cooperative strengthening
YEAR
2023
CLIENT
Certification program
Identifying the root causes preventing cocoa cooperatives to thrive in Côte d’Ivoire
01
Context
Current situation of cooperatives in CI is worrying, despite the fact that there has never been so much funding allocated to their professionalization;
Need to understand the environment in which cocoa cooperatives operate and why they are unable to become self-sufficient;
Beyond the evaluation of causes, strategic questions of the client’s responsibility and associated improvement steps were addressed with our partner JMK to support the client strategy in CI, in a complicated political context.
02
Approach
3-phase project with a stakeholders’ consultation, field study and strategy definition;
Unviable commercial conditions, uncooperative mode of functioning and ‘off the mark’ support programs identified as the 3 root causes;
Shared governance, good purchasing practices and emancipation programs based on diversification and access to financing would lead to a sustainable professionalization.
03
Key Takeaways
Systemic causes making necessary to proceed in steps, starting small and adjusting the strategy based on pilot results and potential partnership opportunities;
Identification of pilot coops will be key;
Governance should no longer be seen as secondary if we aim to provide solutions for members currently disconnected from coops and guarantee empowerment;
The choice of commercial partners will be decisive if issues such as the lack of independence of coops are to be effectively addressed, results – both positive and negative – are to be shared transparently, and the ambition is to disseminate them to all cooperatives.