The Ivoirian cocoa and coffee sector has taken a significant step forward with the implementation of a new national traceability system. According to the Agence ivoirienne de presse, the system has yielded encouraging results just one month after its launch. The Divo regional delegation of the cocoa and coffee council reported that 12,646 cocoa producers in the region have already carried out transactions using the new system. This development was announced during an information and sensitization meeting held at the Divo prefecture.
The meeting, chaired by the regional prefect of Lôh-Djiboua, brought together local authorities and stakeholders from the five departments covered by the Divo regional delegation. Dr. Tahi Mathias, director of research and fight against climate change, and Séka Sylvestre, deputy director in charge of information systems and co-coordinator of the National Traceability System (SNT), represented the director general of the cocoa and coffee council. They explained the mechanism of the new campaign and its stakes to the attendees.
The new system, launched on September 1, 2026, aims to improve the traceability of cocoa and coffee from the farm to the international market. So far, 96 cooperatives out of 235 recognized in the Divo region have sold cocoa through the new system, purchasing 6,640 tons and delivering 4,084 tons to ports. The SNT has been made mandatory by the Ivoirian government through a decree issued on September 13, 2023.
The new system involves the identification of producers, geolocation of their farms, and issuance of a professional card. This card serves as a commercial, financial, and social security tool, allowing producers to sell their cocoa at the government-fixed market price and access banking services worldwide. The system also includes a payment terminal and a sealed bag system to secure transactions and track cocoa from the farm to the exporter's factory.
The implementation of the SNT has been accompanied by the registration of over 1.101 million cocoa producers in Côte d'Ivoire since 2018. In the Divo region, 129,752 producers have been registered, with 105,258 professional cards produced and 88,539 distributed. Producers who have not yet received their cards are encouraged to visit their regional delegation to register and benefit from the new system.
The Ivoirian government has defined new calendar dates for the main cocoa and coffee campaign, which now runs from September 1 to February 28 or 29, and the second campaign from March 1 to August 31. Stakeholders have expressed their commitment to adhering to the new system, which aims to increase transparency and efficiency in the cocoa and coffee sector.
The encouraging results from the Divo region are seen as a positive indicator for the national coordination and direction of the cocoa and coffee council. The SNT is expected to improve the livelihoods of cocoa producers, increase government revenue, and enhance the competitiveness of Ivoirian cocoa and coffee on the international market.
Key points
- The new cocoa and coffee traceability system in Côte d'Ivoire has recorded 12,646 producers and 96 cooperatives participating in the Divo region within the first month of its launch.
- The system involves the issuance of a professional card to producers, which serves as a commercial, financial, and social security tool.
- The Ivoirian government has made the SNT mandatory for all stakeholders in the cocoa and coffee sector.
