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"We didn't even make it halfway"

2025-02-20

What about the supply chains in the cocoa industry? Two experts share their perspectives: A conversation with Claudia Brück, Fairtrade Germany, and Torben Erbrath, Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI).

By Jan Rübel

Jan Rübel is author at Zeitenspiegel Reportagen, a columnist at Yahoo and writes for national newspapers and magazines. He studied History and Middle Eastern Studies.

All contributions

By Claudia Brück

Claudia Brück is the Managing Director of Fairtrade Germany responsible for communications and policy. Initially as a consultant and now as a board member, she has been working for more than 20 years to make trade and supply chains more equitable.

All contributions

By Dr. Torben Erbrath

Dr. Torben Erbrath is the managing director of the Cocoa and Chocolate Goods division at the Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI). In this role, he represents the interests of the German chocolate industry and is actively involved in various organizations, including the German Cocoa and Chocolate Industry Foundation and the Forum for Sustainable Cocoa.

All contributions

Demand for fair trade cocoa is increasing. Ms. Brück, how is the industry responding to this trend from your perspective?

Claudia Brück: The industry is trying to meet this trend. We are currently engaged in many discussions with existing partners who want to expand their product range, as well as with new partners who are considering switching to Fairtrade.

Dr. Torben Erbrath: 81 percent of the cocoa certified with sustainability labels that is sold in German confectionery products passes through our member companies. However, Fairtrade does not hold the largest share of this; that would be the Rainforest Alliance. So, there is still room for growth.

Dr. Erbrath, what are you hearing from your companies—are they being cautious about sustainable cocoa, or is there a push for expansion?

Dr. Erbrath: It cannot simply be turned up further. Since we started in 2012, a lot has changed with regard to the use of labels. But there is still a lot to do in terms of impact.

Brück: It is not about the label itself, but precisely about this effect. When we talk to consumers, they all assume that the cocoa sold in Germany is sustainably grown and free from child labor. But the industry has not yet met these expectations. Investment is needed particularly in this area.

The disruptions we have been discussing for decades must finally be addressed at their roots. This requires joint commitment along the entire supply chain.

Where do you see the biggest challenges?

Brück: For a long time, it was claimed that we cannot trace where the cocoa comes from, thus we cannot take direct responsibility. This argument has been invalid since the deforestation regulation. We can trace everything quite precisely. Now it is a matter of eliminating the structural difficulties. Too little added value remains with the farmers. They live in poor to miserable conditions, have little education and little prospect of their business becoming profitable. We need the cocoa farmers to be able to continue producing chocolate in the future. This common interest means not looking at the short-term price, but building long-term, stable trade relationships with certain origins and systematically investing above the world market price. Then, this raw product will also have a future for both sides.

Dr. Erbrath: However, there is a problem. In Latin America, for example, the cocoa price is currently $11,000 per ton – four times as much as three years ago. Long-term supply relationships that have been built up are now being destroyed by this high price. I don't mean to say that one shouldn't establish long-term supply relationships, quite the opposite. But it is alarming. How is this working for you at Fairtrade Germany? Your price consists of two elements: a base price and a premium for the cooperative.

Brück: High prices are not always good. The question is where they are generated. If they are primarily determined by the stock market, as is currently the case, farmers do not benefit. Also, price volatility represents a risk for the farm. Farmers are tempted not to deliver their harvest to their cooperative but to sell it at the roadside where they can get a higher price. Nevertheless, we are seeing a higher demand for Fairtrade as the price premium is no longer as high. We also see the risk of traders getting into economic difficulties - caught between long-term contracts they have to fulfill and the current high market price they have to pay. Our solution: We work with 70 different countries for different products. Everywhere there is a need for technical advice – staff to go to the cooperatives and work with them on development – on productivity, on compliance with standards and on dealing with child labor. These are issues where members see the value of Fairtrade membership.

Dr. Erbrath: This ought to be communicated even more. For consumers, the seal is like a technical certificate. But Fairtrade is not just the auditor, it is also the repair service. This should be communicated more clearly.

Brück: You are preaching to the choir here. Communication is key. We are already communicating broadly, not only through the label, but also through our educational programs. But there is always more to be done.

Dr. Erbrath: The majority of cocoa, 70 to 80 percent, comes from West Africa, specifically from two countries: Ivory Coast and Ghana. Both have state-regulated systems, where the minimum price is currently well below the stock market price as it is pre-financed. I wonder how things are developing in these countries.

Many farmers still earn far below a living income. That is also due to the state minimum price, as it is so much lower.

Dr. Erbrath, could your association members do something to ensure that more remains with the farmers in the end?

Dr. Erbrath: Within the state system? Hardly. The only chance you have is actually not to pay these prices. A system like Fairtrade, or take Nestlé, which pays premiums to households independently of prices.

Brück: The good thing about state-regulated markets is that at least a lower benchmark is set and that this price is clearly communicated. The state prices do not reflect stock market-driven explosions. We have 30 percent less harvest due to climate change, and the lower volume is driving up the price. Then the stock market effect is added. Any organization and company can set up premiums and projects at any time; there are no limits to creativity.

The most important thing is that it is an exchange on equal terms and not just a small project here and there without knowing where to go from here. Also, farmers can work together to ensure a stable, high-quality crop that is roughly equivalent to the volume the industry needs.

This exchange requires trust and long-term commitment. I know my supply chain, I know the organizers, the managers of the cooperatives.

Dr. Erbrath, do you agree with Ms. Brück's assessment that there are no limits to imagination when it comes to feasibility?

Dr. Erbrath: I agree with her in terms of enforceability. It always depends on what is possible and effective within these state structures. What is most important, however, is that best practices are shared and that we all pull together – whether in the German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa, the Cocoa and Forest Initiative or in standards. I believe it is also necessary to avoid name-calling: It doesn't help anyone if the best are made better and the worst are made worse. That doesn't necessarily promote competition. What we need is competition for a good cause in which we work together.

Ms. Brück, do you share this view on name-and-shame?

Brück: As a certification organization, we are naturally dependent on cooperation with companies. This requires trust, and name-and-shame does not work. Nevertheless, I would like to see those who are not committed being named publicly. You mentioned the Cocoa Forum, but not the entire industry is represented there. There are still those who keep their heads down. In Germany, there is still this unfortunate communication pattern where those leading the way are scrutinized, and any initial mistakes are heavily discussed. Meanwhile, those who quietly think, “I’ll wait until I am legally compelled,” still have an easier time.

Dr. Erbrath: I don't know many of them, actually none. We have two groups of members: Those that are relatively unknown and don't display any certifications on their products. As a rule, these are private label suppliers who definitely adhere to the standards for their own brands. The others are smaller companies, such as chocolate manufacturers. Ask them if they are certified. Most will deny this and explain: “I know my supplier, this is farmer XY in Ecuador; I visit the plot every year. I know the working conditions and I pay a fair price”. These are the ones you call “keeping your head down”. We will never be able to win them over to certification programs. They don't need a sustainability program.

Are there really none who avoid responsibility and neglect knowing their suppliers?

Dr. Erbrath: I do not only represent those who are members of the cocoa forum. Some are also private label suppliers and implement standards there too. I'm not saying that they do this consistently for their own products, there is indeed still potential. But basically everyone in the industry is confronted with the issue.

Brück: When the new legislation comes into force, we will all be faced by this. Thanks to the Deforestation Regulation and the Supply Chain Act, we understand the supply chains and meet certain criteria. This has led to everyone addressing this issue.

Dr. Erbrath, do you see advantages in legal regulations, like Ms. Brück?

Dr. Erbrath: I once did. When the discussion began, those already advanced in the field could gain a competitive advantage and create a level playing field for everyone. But now the spotlight is on compliance as there are so many requirements. It is getting worse with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, which requires assigning or even hiring people just to meet compliance requirements. This manpower is lost instead of tackling the root of the problems. I no longer share the view currently held by civil society. It backfired.

Brück: Yes, that is the current discussion. Not every law or directive fully achieves the right balance between compliance and impact in the Global South. It's about the journey. But we experienced that it is now possible to trace every plot in Côte d'Ivoire using geodata. We can document the source of cocoa beans and take the next step. That is what matters! Farmers learn the benefits of not cutting down forests, sending their children to school, and applying agricultural practices that ensure cocoa farming is viable in 20 years.

What does that mean regarding legislation?

Brück: In my opinion, it was a step in the right direction. I know it is bureaucratic and imperfect. But it shows a commitment to knowing one’s supply chain.

Dr. Erbrath: I can tell you a thing or two about “imperfect”. Let's take the Deforestation Regulation as an example: in the final step, the climate protection plan, which is also part of the directive on corporate sustainability reporting, was included in the regulation, even though it has little to do with it. Certain content was only included in legislation due to political will. The inclusion of chocolate in the Deforestation Regulation makes no sense. As soon as cocoa enters the EU, all the evidence has to be provided anyway. Now we have a mixed solution and a bureaucratic burden. The reason is obvious: as it did not work well in the timber sector, stricter requirements were introduced for other raw materials.

When you still saw meaning in regulatory efforts, wasn’t it already foreseeable how these compliance requirements would develop?

Dr. Erbrath: Everything happened all at once. The industry has always emphasized the coherence between these regulations. Yet the opposite happened in the various legislative processes driven by different directorates of the European Commission. The approaches were good. They have triggered many discussions.

Brück: Previously, it was completely voluntary. Those who wanted to get involved had to bear the additional costs entirely themselves. Now that everyone in a sector has to meet certain standards, the price difference has narrowed, even for top performers with higher levels of commitment. That is a real advantage for us.

Is voluntariness on the part of companies sufficient, or do you see room for improvement?

Dr. Erbrath: As a representative of the industry, I want to be honest: Better well done on a voluntary basis than badly done on a mandatory basis. We are still at this point for some aspects. Let's hope that the bad obligation becomes a good obligation!

Ms. Brück, do you share this hope?

Brück: The clearer the legislation is, the better voluntary approaches can coexist. There is also a consumer expectation that products sold in Germany are not based on the exploitation of people and the environment in the Global South. Voluntary efforts have always been associated with additional costs, rather than being supported by the state through tax incentives. And I agree that the Green Deal can be overwhelming: What is being negotiated? Where are the interfaces? Can it be streamlined? But that does not mean that we should eliminate those that are worth preserving.

So, do you see a positive dynamic?

Brück: Yes, a different dynamic has been triggered and this is also affecting processes. For example, the issue of transparency and child protection is being rediscussed. Our approach is: the first priority is to protect the children. If we find out about child labor on site, we work with a child protection program to see what is best for the child. That takes precedence over decertifying the organization as quickly as possible and throwing it out of the supply chain. We strive for joint positive development.

Dr. Erbrath: I have been working in this industry for 25 years. It is clear that society and the industry have made significant progress. Not as quickly as we would have liked. Nevertheless, there is now an understanding that economic wellbeing starts at the beginning of the supply chain and not with the current year's profit. This is an achievement that is reinforced by legislation.

We need both laws and an entrepreneurial approach that says: I aim to be better than my competitors, so I choose a sustainable path.

Brück: There have always been frontrunners in voluntariness who did well. We are talking about 5 to 15 percent, at best. They have done well; the others did nothing. The National Action Plan (NAP) requested voluntary reports. It was always the same handful of companies that performed well.

You both have 25 years of experience and commitment in this field. What is your assessment: Is the glass half full or half empty?

Dr. Erbrath: When it comes to improvements, it's half full. But when I look at the structures in the producer countries, I must admit: half empty. In West Africa, I am always shocked at how quickly development is progressing in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, including in terms of infrastructure. But that is only the urban area. I hardly see any changes in the rural areas.

Brück: I would add: When I drove through Ghana 25 years ago, I passed through rainforest. When I drive through the country today, there are no forests left. On the other hand, the progress that has been made with individual organizations is being undone by other external conditions. For example, I see the enormous problem of illegal gold mining in Ghana, which contaminates the water and destroys large areas of agricultural crops through mercury pollution. And it breaks my heart when I talk to a cocoa farmer saying: I bought a bed. We are talking about such fundamental progress. We did not even make it halfway.

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A Call to Action against Desertification

A contribution by GIZ

Every second, worldwide, we lose valuable and healthy soil with the size of four football fields. This was only one of the many facts being presented to a wide audience in Bonn and worldwide via livestream at the World Desertification and Drought Day on 17th June 2024. This was the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Combatting Desertification (UNCCD), which was celebrated at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.

Stick together and learn from each other

By Claudia Jordan

During the Women Leadership Programme in May 2024, around 20 women from African countries and Germany met again for a one-week workshop in Bavaria, Germany to become fit for leadership in their organisations. One topic that concerns the women across countries is climate change, but also violence against women and their discrimination in agriculture.

Cultivating tomorrow

A Contribution by GIZ

Africa’s largest youth generation has the potential to transform agriculture sustainably. Young entrepreneurs like Febelsa in Mozambique are building agricultural businesses that fuel local growth.

Uprooting the Norm

A Contribution by GIZ

As a passionate social scientist and entrepreneur from Malawi, Ngabaghila Chatata knows that she can overcome any challenge. Her story stands out in a country faced with high unemployment, particularly in its rural areas. As the managing director of Thanthwe Farms, she has set out to inspire the next generation of young agripreneurs – proving that successful business starts with the right mindset, not only capital.

A framework for sustainable and fair agriculture and food systems

A Contribution by Gideon Tups

The guiding orientation framework developed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) summarizes the requirements for the transformation of agriculture and food systems – and identifies principles and approaches for transformative change.

African Union sets the Way for the Future

A Contribution by GIZ

From January 9 to 11, 2025, heads of state and government of the African Union met in Kampala, Uganda. With a clear vision and concrete measures, the Kampala Agenda aims to make the continent's agricultural and food systems climate-resilient, fair and future-proof by 2035.

Guide to a Sustainable Cocoa Sector

A Contribution by Jens Busma

The Federal Ministry ofor Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) presented a revised version of the 10-Point Plan for a sustainable cocoa sector. The plan takes into account new supply chain legislations and current developments. A particular focus is paid to a living incomes, responsible purchasing practices and ecological and climate-friendly cocoa cultivation.

The human finca

Interview with Marvin Antonio Garcia Otero

In Eastern El Salvador, campesinos are cultivating a self-image to encourage rural youth to remain in rural areas. With help from Caritas, they have adjusted the cultivation methods to their soils and traditions - Marvin Antonio Garcia Otero,the deputy director of Caritas of the Diocese of San Miguel believes this is the best way to prevent rural exodus and criminality.

Small-scale farmers’ responses to COVID-19 related restrictions

A study by SLE

The lockdown due to COVID-19 hit the economy hard - including agriculture in particular with its supply chains and sales markets. What creative coping strategies have those affected found? The Seminar for Rural Development has begun a research study on th

Building our food systems back better

A contribution by Jes Weigelt and Alexander Müller

What is required to make food systems provide sufficient, healthy food while not harming the planet? How should food security be maintained given the threat posed by climate change? Our authors look at some aspects of tomorrow’s food systems against the backdrop of the corona crisis.

"We must mobilise all available resources"

A contribution by Ismahane Elouafi (ICBA)

Freshwater deficits are affecting more and more people throughout the world. In order to counter this, our global food system will have to change, our author maintains. A case for more research on alternative crops and smart water solutions.

One Health – What we are learning from the Corona crisis

A contribution by Dr. May Hokan and Dr. Arnulf Köhncke (WWF)

Due to the coronavirus crisis, the connection between human and animal health has gained new attention. Politicians and scientists are joining forces to propagate the solution: One Health. But what is behind the concept? And can it also guarantee food security for all people worldwide?

The state of food security in Cape Town and St. Helena Bay

A study by Markus Hanisch, Agustina Malvido, Johanna Hansmann, Alexander Mewes, Moritz Reigl, Nicole Paganini (SLE)

Post-Covid-19 lockdown: How food governance processes could include marginalised communities - an extract of the results of an SLE study applying digital and participatory methods.

Green from the growth container

A contribution by Maria Smentek (WFP)

If there is a lack of fertile soil and rain, hunger breaks out quickly. Maria Smentek from the World Food Programme (WFP) explains how farmers and pastoralists can counter climate change with hydroponic-systems.

Not waiting for a savior

An article by Lidet Tadesse

While Africa is the least affected region by Covid-19 so far, the number of confirmed cases and deaths on the continent is quickly rising. Despite the challenges many African countries continue to face, the African response to the coronavirus pandemic displays innovation and ingenuity.

From Berlin to Yen Bai: 10,000 trees for Vietnam

A contribution by GIZ and BMZ

It began with clicks at a trade fair and ends with concrete reforestation: a campaign at the Green Week in Berlin is now enriching the forests of the Yen Bai Province in Vietnam. A chronicle of an education about climatic relevance to concrete action - and about the short distances on our planet.

Quinoa could have a huge potential in Central Asia, where the Aral Sea Basin has been especially hard-hit by salinisation.

Planetary Health: Recommendations for a Post-Pandemic World

A contribution by Dr. Kathleen Mar and Dr. Nicole de Paula

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, health is receiving unprecedented public and political attention. Yet the fact that climate change is also affecting the environmental and social determinants of health in a profound and far-reaching way deserves further recognition.

Hunger is caused by people, not the climate

Interview with Jacob Schewe (PIK)

A study by the World Bank predicts that millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa will have to leave their homelands because of climate change. We have spoken with one of the authors

(c) Christoph Püschner/Brot für die Welt

The North bears the responsibility, the South bears the burden

A report by Susanne Neubert (SLE)

Adaptation to climate change can be achieved by making agriculture more environmentally sustainable – if the rich countries also reduce their emissions

A Climate of Hunger: How the Climate Crisis Fuels the Hunger

A photo reportage by the Zeitenspiegel agency

Every one degree Celsius rise in temperature increases the risk of conflict by two to ten percent. The climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis, as the photos by Christoph Püschner and Frank Schultze illustrate.

How to Combat Hunger in Times of Climate Crisis?

An Interview with Martin Frick (WFP)

The climate crisis fuels world hunger. What needs to change in the global fight against hunger, and which role plays humanitarian aid in international development cooperation?

ICTforAg 2022: Conference

An Initiative by GIZ Fond i4Ag

In March 2022, the virtual conference ICTforAg summons leading actors in the agrartechnology and food sector from low- and middle-income countries to exchange ideas advancing resilience, nutrition and agriculture-led growth.

World Soil Conference ends with resolutions on drought management and land restoration

A contribution by GIZ

At the UNCCD COP15, the nearly 200 Parties met in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. A key goal is to halt the loss of fertile soils by 2030.

Drugs and the Environment

A Contribution by Jorrit Kamminga

This year's United Nations World Drug Report highlights for the first time the nexus between illicit drugs and the environment. In view of climate change, it is time to feed the debate with facts and make drug policy greener

From field to fan shop: how to increase supply

A contribution by Jan Rübel

Organic cotton is extremely popular – but farmers still find it difficult to change their conventional cultivation methods. A new project addresses this dilemma: Bundesliga football teams in Germany are promoting the switch to organic cotton in India. And thereby setting an example.

Working with nature for diversity in farming, climate protection and empowerment

Ein Beitrag von Friederike Bauer

Germany joins the international Agroecology Coalition, reinforcing its commitment to fair, sustainable agriculture and ensuring the future viability of rural areas. By adopting a holistic approach, agroecology is helping to address the greatest challenges of our time: protecting the climate, combating hunger and preserving biodiversity.

Circular Economy: From Innovation to Upscaling

A Contribution by the Project RUNRES

Recycling organic waste into soil amendments and animal feed through a transdisciplinary approach – this is what the RUNRES project, launched in four sub-Saharan African countries four years ago, seeks to achieve. Three of the project's scientists report.

The untapped potential of protein diversification

A Contribution by Ivo Rzegotta

Diversifying our protein supply to include plant-based foods and cultivated meat can be a game-changer for climate mitigation and climate adaptation, especially in the countries of the Global South. However, a great deal of research is still required to capitalise on this potential. And political support, as Ivo Rzegotta, Good Food Institute, demonstrates.

The price isn’t everything

By Bettina Rühl

In Togo’s capital, Lomé, home-grown rice costs almost twice as much as the imported product from Thailand. Yet there are good reasons for preferring the local product

"We are not Uber for tractors"

Interview with Jehiel Oliver

Jehiel Oliver was a successful consultant. One day, he quit his job in investment banking to become a social entrepreneur. His mission: tractors for Africa. Rental tractors. What gave him that idea? Find out in his interview with Jan Rübel.

The farmes themselves are the benchmark

A contribution by Andreas Quiring

Strong farmes are the key to a self-determined, sustainable development. Social innovations can help make the farmers’ actual needs the benchmark.

How the self-help approach empowers smallholder women

A report by INEF and Kindernothilfe

Supporting groups of smallholding women substantially contributes to strengthen rural operations economically. The organisation and associated group activities can help to reduce extreme poverty and improve the food situation.

“They said: You can do it”

A contribution by Bread for the World

As President of the IABM cooperative in Muhanga, Alphonsine Mukankusi is not simply focused on the figures. She has learned how to deal with people and how to take on responsibility. At the same time, her work helps her to come to terms with the past

Read more “They said: You can do it”

How Smallholders became Commodity Suppliers

Small farmers are often left behind in African agriculture. Access to markets and improved competitiveness can only be achieved if the small farms join forces. But those affected in partner countries are often at a loss as to how to implement cooperative models. Here, the BMZ provides support through the SEWOH ONE World – NO Hunger initiative and the Social Structure Promotion (Sozialstrukturförderung).

A project by Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband e. V.

‘Invite yourself’ – Farmers organisations as key stakeholders of food systems

A Contribution by Andreas-Hermes-Akademie

The Andreas Hermes Academy (AHA) discusses the transformation of food systems with 30 representatives of farmers organisations.

How farmers are facing the crisis

A contribution by GIZ

Russia's war against Ukraine and its impact on food, energy and fertiliser prices is worrying farmers all over the world. Young farmers, farmer organisations and politicians from Kenya, Chad and Ukraine tell their stories and what keeps them in agriculture.

“We have to focus on sustainability”

An interview with Karen Mapusua

Karen Mapusua, President of IFOAM Organics International Network, on the danger of the current fuel crises and inflation to loose track in sustainablity, why organic farmers should be heard and how the word “crisis” has a very different meaning where she lives in Fiji.

Governor's Day with Farmers – For more discussion with local actors

A contribution by William Onura and Larissa Stiem-Bhatia

In agriculture it is important to include political stakeholders in the discourse. To build the bridge between practical application and political action, the think tank TMG launched the Governor's Day with Farmers in Kakamega County, Kenya. Now it took place for the second time. But what are the goals and benefits of the Governor's Day?

Strengthening the market linkages of smallholders in the face of global supply shocks

A Contribution by Niladri Sekhar Bagchi

The consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine have enabled many countries to open up new export markets for their agricultural goods. However, smallholder farms have been largely left out. Drawing on his experience in India, our author gives a brief overview of how this can be changed.

Young farmers as custodians of transformation

An Interview with William Madudike

How can rural economies become viable and modern? William Madudike, youth representative of the Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) and a potato farmer himself, examines this question. He argues that the whole rural economy and actors from producers to consumers need to be considered. An interview on the initiative role of youth.

Learning from Each Other

An Interview with Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi

Partnerships are needed to face the multiple shocks for food systems. This is what Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi, president of the Agriculture Council Tanzania (ACT) and CEO of the Tanzanian Horticulture Association (TAHA) states.

Where Goats Listen to the Radio

A Contribution by GIZ

German and Ugandan women farmers come together in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to exchange experiences – from modern milking systems to the challenges of women's participation in agricultural decision-making. Amid goats, lavender ice cream, and engaging discussions, one thing becomes clear: women can achieve great things together, across borders and generations.

Ideas on the ground: Local solutions for global challenges

Interview with Sebastian Lesch (BMZ)

A world without hunger and with sufficient healthy food as well as climate-friendly agriculture can only be achieved if ideas are transformed into innovations and ultimately also applied - a conversation with BMZ Head of Division Sebastian Lesch on the Innovation Challenge programme of the new Agricultural Innovation Fund.

“Corona exposes the weaknesses of our nutritional systems"

Interview with Arif Husain (WFP)

The United Nations plan a Food Systems Summit - and now the Corona-Virus is dictating the agenda. The Chief Economist of the UN World Food Programme takes stock of the current situation: a conversation with Jan Rübel about pandemics, about the chromosomes of development - and about the conflicts that inhibit them.

Slaves do not produce quality

By Tilman Wörtz

Every child in Germany knows Ritter Sport – but most of the children harvesting cocoa on western African plantations have never even eaten chocolate. Can a chocolate manufacturer change the world? Conversation with Alfred Ritter about the power and powerlessness of a businessman.

The Big Bang is possible

Interview with Joachim von Braun

Happy youngsters in rural areas, green development and the connection to the digital age – professor Joachim von Braun believes in this future sceneraio for Africa. For three decades the agricultural scienties has been researching how politics can create prosperty on the continent.

A fresh opportunity

Interview with Lutz Hartmann

By leasing a three hundred hectare fruit plantation in Ethiopia, Lutz Hartmann has realised a long-cherished dream: to run his own business in Africa. Now he has a personal interest in the issue of Africa’s development.

Ebay Against Hunger - How an App Supports Crop Sale of Rural Small Holders in Zambia

Small holders around the world are often forced to sell their harvests below market value due to a lack of market and pricing information. A new app by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is going to change this.

A project of WFP

Story: In Blocked Chains We Trust

A contribution by Solomon King Benge

It is 2080. We are on a farm somewhere in Africa. Everything is digital. The blockchain is an omnipotent point of reference, and the farm is flourishing. But then, everything goes wrong. A dystopian short story, written exclusively for SEWOH.

Small fish with a big potential

A contribution by Paul van Zwieten

African inland fisheries are increasingly reliant on the capture of small fish species that are sundried and traded over long distances. They make an important contribution in alleviating “hidden hunger”: consumed whole, small fish are an important source of micronutrients. Only that, unfortunately, politicians haven’t yet realised this.

Reference values: A building block on the road to social equality

A contribution by Friederieke Martin (GIZ)

A quick and cost-effective method calculates living wages and incomes for many different countries. The GIZ together with Fairtrade International and Richard and Martha Anker have developed a tool that companies can use to easily analyse income and wage gaps.

Supermarket Scorecard on Human Rights

A contribution by Dr. Franziska Humbert (Oxfam)

Oxfam’s supermarket scorecard, which is in its third year, shows one thing in particular - it works! Supermarkets can change their business policies and focus more on the rights of those people around the world who plant and harvest food. However, this does not happen without pressure.

Do we have to dare a new food system?

A contribution by Dr. Felix zu Löwenstein (BÖLW)

Lack of seasonal workers and virus explosion in slaughterhouses, rising vegetable prices, climate crisis – all this demonstrates: Our food system is highly productive and (at least for the rich inhabitants of planet earth) guarantees an unprecedented rich and steady food supply - but it is not resilient.

Ms Rudloff, what are the benefits of a supply chain law?

By Jan Rübel

The Federal Government is fine-tuning a law that would require companies to ensure human rights – a supply chain law. What are the consequences for the agricultural sector? Dr Bettina Rudloff from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) discusses linking policy fields with added value.

Bitter fruit

A contribution by Frank Brunner

Why aren’t bars of chocolate made where cocoa is grown? Author Frank Brunner analyses the industry’s fragile value chain from the plantation to the supermarket

"Soy can be made into more than just flour"

A report by Johanna Steinkühler (GIZ)

The soybean is a natural crop that can be used to make a lot of food. So, Tata Bi started a small processing business first on her own, then with a few other women, which provides the women with an additional source of income year-round besides selling the soybeans.

Freed from trade? Towards a fairer EU Trade Agenda

A contribution by Dr. Jan Orbie (University Gent)

‘Fair’ and ‘sustainable’ are key words in Germany’s EU Council Presidency. At the same time, Germany pursues ‘modernization’ of the WTO and ‘rapid progress’ on free trade agreements. Are these goals really compatible? Can we be concerned about fairness and sustainability while continuing with ‘business as usual’?

Good health is impossible without healthy food

A contribution by Heino von Meyer

Corona makes it even more difficult to achieve a world without hunger by 2030. So that this perspective does not get out of sight, Germany must play a stronger role internationally - a summary of the Strategic Advisory Group of SEWOH.

Statement from GAFSP Co-Chairs: GAFSP and COVID-19 Pandemic

A contribution by GAFSP

COVID-19 has unprecedented effects on the world. As always, the most vulnerable are the hardest hit, both at home and - especially - abroad. A joint appeal by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) and the Department for International Development (DFID).

The 'Grey Gold'

A contribution by Maria Schmidt (GIZ)

The Cashew Council is the first international organisation for a raw material stemming from Africa. The industry promises to make progress in processing and refining cashew nuts - and answers to climate change

No rainforest for our consumption

A contribution by Jenny Walther-Thoß (WWF)

In the tropics rainforests are still being felled for the production of palm oil, meat and furniture. It is high time to act. Proposals are on the table.

Small Farms, big money

A contribution by Agnes Kalibata

Agnes Kalibata, AGRA president since 2014 and former minister of agriculture and wildlife in Rwanda, is convinced that Africa's economy will only grow sustainably if small-scale agriculture is also seen as an opportunity.

Sustainable Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in Rural Areas

Fish is important for combating malnutrition and undernourishment. But it is not only notable for its nutritional value, but also secures the livelihoods and employment for 600 million people worldwide.

A Project of GIZ

The Future of Development Politics: Voices from the Parliamentary Groups

A Contribution by Journalist Jan Rübel

Representatives of the six parliamentary groups offer their views on the future of German development cooperation.

Côte d’Ivoire: The Future Starts With Food

A Contribution by GIZ

How nutrition trainer Edwige helps cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire to prepare for a healthier future.

Five tips to reduce food waste

A listicle against food waste

Whether it's banana bread made from brown bananas, conscious shopping plans or foodsharing, we give you five tips on how to reduce your everyday food waste.

The Case for Fair Fashion

A Contribution by Jan Rübel

On the podcast ‘From the Field to the Shelf’, Marie Nasemann calls for new attempts to promote fair fashion. An evening about burnt returns, filterless washing machines and a lot of room for improvement.

Knowledge about spice production

A listicle regarding spice production

The global trade in spices currently has a volume of over 10 billion euros. But at what price do these spices refine our Christmas cuisine? On closer inspection, aspects of the value chain leave a bitter taste.

Achieving more together – New forms of cooperation for sustainability in the cotton sector

A Contribution by Saskia Widenhorn

Saskia Widenhorn, Head of the Cotton Component in Cameroon and the Sub-Saharan Cotton Initiative at GIZ, reports on the Bremer Cotton Week, which brought together international industry experts. The agenda included supply chain transparency, sustainability and new forms of cooperation between the private sector and partner countries.

David versus Goliath: Consequences of mainstream agricultural export commodities and niche products

An Artikel by the Initiative for Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains (INA)

A study published by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) examines the differences between globally traded agricultural commodities and domestic niche products in terms of economic, environmental and social impact on the region of origin. The results provide new evidence to make supply chains more sustainable.

Côte d’Ivoire: Sweet Temptation without a Bitter Taste

A Story by GIZ

Until Easter 2022, GIZ publishes a new episode every fortnight introducing people who are committed to fair and sustainable cocoa in Côte d'Ivoire and Germany.

Fair Trade and Climate Justice: Everything is Conntected

A Contribution of the 'Initiative for Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains' (INA)

Fair Trade organisations and the Initiative for Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains (INA) have launched the #ichwillfair campaign during COP26 to highlight the link between global supply chains and climate change.

The Rice Sector in West Africa: A Political Challenge

New insights on trade and value addition in the rice sector in West Africa

Low import tariffs, smuggling activities, unpredictable tax exemptions and weak enforcement of food safety standards: The potential of local rice value chains is undermined in West African countries.

The fight against illegal fishing

A Report

The oceans are important for our food supply, but they are overfished. To halt this trend the global community is now taking action against illegal fishing. Journalist Jan Rübel spoke with Francesco Marí, a specialist for world food, agricultural trade and maritime policy at "Brot für die Welt," and others.

The Agri-Food Map: An interactive map to explore sustainable agri-food systems

A Contribution by GIZ

The complex interrelationships of the sustainable transformation of agricultural and food systems are not always easy to understand - the Agri-Food Map, an interactive online app, makes the comprehensive relations accessible by providing a wide range of comprehensibly prepared information.

The Principle of Sharing

A contribution by gebana

gebana, a Swiss fair trade company, follows the principle of "sharing" with its corporate philosophy: farming families in the Global South participate directly in the sales of their online shop. Caroline Schaar, Marketing at gebana, explains the company's approach.

Nature conservation around the world

A Contribution by WWF

From measures to promote biodiversity in Germany to more sustainable cocoa cultivation methods in Ecuador: WWF works at many different levels. At the Green Week, it will be demonstrated just how multifaceted nature conservation work is and what role each individual's decision plays.

From Coexistence to Collaboration

A Contribution by Initiative für nachhaltige Agrarlieferketten (INA)

The demand for sustainable products and supply chains is constantly increasing. DIASCA is an alliance that works on interoperability of digital solutions in agricultural supply chains through the development of open standards for forest monitoring, farm income and traceability.

Coconuts, Digitalization and the Future

An Interview with Ebun Feludu

Female founder Ebun Feludu wants to bring the coconut value chain to Nigeria with her start-up Kokari. In this interview, she explains why she envisions every coconut palm tree bearing its own name in the future and how digitalization can contribute to this.

From the perennial to the catwalk – banana silk as an alternative

A Contribution by Paul Kadjo

The textile industry contributes significantly to environmental pollution as it produces over 100 billion garments every year, resulting in huge CO2 emissions and water consumption. Fashion designer Paul Kadjo uses banana silk as an environmentally friendly alternative to make textile production more environmentally conscious and socially just.

The Idea of Coffee entirely made by Women

A Conversation with Allan Mubiru

Allan Mubiru was standing in front of a shelf in Kigali, Rwanda, and discovered a local type of coffee. He took it, tasted it and was thrilled. A story about a grocery shopping trip that became the beginning of a successful business idea.

How does the ALDI SOUTH Group buy, Mrs Roach?

A Conversation with Sally Roach

Many of ALDI SOUTH Group supply chains begin in the Global South. How does the food retailer assume its responsibility? Questions for Sally Roach, Senior Manager - International Sustainability Department at the ALDI SOUTH Group.

How a Tea adds to Forest Conservation and Food Security

A Contribution by Wallace Gichunge

The Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation is committed to the preservation of forests in Kenya: The establishment of so-called buffer zones counteracts deforestation by planting trees and tea. In addition to the production of environmentally friendly tea, the project benefits the resources of the forests and the livelihoods of the communities living near the forests, says project manager Wallace Gichunge.

Improving The World, Sip by Sip

A Conversation with Maura Oerding

Maura Oerding has a mission: With the specialty coffee “Angelique’s Finest,” she not only wants to enter new markets but also revolutionize the coffee industry. Her recipe for success? Empowering women from Rwanda and Uganda from cultivation to marketing. Oerding’s goal: quality, fairness, and self-determination in every bean.

How much private investment is the agricultural sector able to bear?

By Pedro Morazán

Small farmers in developing countries must modernise their farming methods, but poorly understood reforms could exacerbate poverty instead of alleviating it.

No dirty dealing

Von Marlis Lindecke

Shit Business is Serious Business: A successful cooperation between research and the private sector.

Support for sustainable start-ups

Companies in Africa that need financing between $20,000 and $200,000 find relatively few investors, as this sector is too large for microcredit and too small for institutional investors. This creates a "gap in the middle" where companies have limited options. A project of the World Resource Institute provides a remedy with the Landaccelerator 2020.

A World Resources Institute project

Africa's rapid economic transformation

A report by T. S. Jayne, A. Adelaja and R. Mkandawire

Thirty years ago, Africa was synonymous with war, famine and poverty. That narrative is clearly outdated. African living standards are rising remarkably fast. Our authors are convinced that improving education and entrepreneurship will ensure irreversible progress in the region even as it confronts COVID-19.

What it takes now

A contribution by Heike Baumüller

Artificial intelligence, big data and blockchain are the hottest topics of our time. The digital transformation of the African agricultural sector is ready for take-off. What will it take for the future of technology to hit the ground running?

Doing More With Less

A contribution by Jochen Moninger

Innovation is the only way to end hunger worldwide by the deadline we have set ourselves. The secret lies in networking and sharing ideas – and several initiatives are already leading by example.

Human Rights, Land and Rural Development

A contribution by Michael Windfuhr (German Institute for Human Rights)

Land rights are no longer governed by the law of the strongest. That is what the international community has agreed to. Governments and private companies have a duty to respect human rights and avoid corruption.

A new attempt at Africa's industrialization?

A contribution by Helmut Asche

Afrika is about ready. There are promising approaches for a sustainable industrialization. However, the path poses challenges to the continent.

Microinsurance against climate change

A contribution by Claudia Voß

Climate change is destroying development progress in many places. The clever interaction of digitalisation and the insurance industry protects affected small farmers.

How can the private sector prevent food loss and waste?

An interview with David Brand (GIZ)

From a circular food system in Rwanda to functioning cooled transports in Kenya: The lab of tomorrow addresses development challenges such as preventing food loss and waste

From lost products to safe food - Innovations from Zambia

A contribution by GIZ

In Zambia, innovative approaches are used to address the problem of post-harvest losses in the groundnut value chain. GIZ's Rapid Loss Appraisal Tool (RLAT) can help to develop more such approaches.

Investing in Healthy Soils: Curse or Blessing?

A Contribution by WWF

How investing in healthy soils provides incentives for more sustainable agriculture even as it demonstrates the need for far reaching changes in the agrisector.

Successful Blueprints for African Agriculture

A Contribution by GIZ

At the 8th German-African Agribusiness Forum (GAAF) representatives from business and politics discussed successful investment models to improve living conditions in Africa.

Together towards Sustainable Development: Private Sector Cooperation

A Multimedia-Toolbox by GIZ

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through responsible investments in the agri-food sector of emerging countries.

G7 Sustainable Supply Chains Initiative: From Commitment to Action

Future generations need more sustainable and stable agri-food systems. But how can this comprehensive transformation succeed and what responsibility does the private sector bear? These questions were the focus of the G7 Sustainable Supply Chains Initiative (G7 SSCI) side event as part of the ‘Champion Youth Action’ day at the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27).

The Answer is Healthy Soil

A Conversation with Nina Mannheimer

The Berlin start-up Klim is forging an alliance between farmers and companies. The aim is to use regenerative farming to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and sequester it as carbon in the soil. An interview with Nina Mannheimer.

Answers from the youth: "Leave or stay? That depends on it!"

GIZ study; conducted by Geopoll

Does Africa's youth want to live in the city or in the country? Which career path seems particularly attractive? And how optimistic are the young people about the future? Young adults from rural areas answered these questions by SMS.

"Agriculture can become a job engine"

Interview with Reiner Klingholz

How can agriculture modernise Africa? And does the road to the cities really lead out of poverty? Dr. Reiner Klingholz from the Berlin Institute for Population and Development in conversation with Jan Rübel .

Enough of being poor

By Marcellin Boguy

In western Africa a new middle class is emerging. Their consumer behaviour is determining the demand for products – home-produced and imported goods, on the internet or at the village market. The people of Ivory Coast in particular are looking to the future with optimism.

New campaign for women: "Poverty is sexist"

Interview with Stephan Exo-Kreischer

This is a benchmark for everybody: More rights for women are a very influencing solution in the struggle against extreme poverty and hunger worldwide, says Stephan Exo-Kreischer, Director of ONE Germany. The organisation specialises in political campaigning as a lever for sustainable change.

An opportunity for the continent

A contribution by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Africa’s population is young and ready to take its destiny into its own hands. Agriculture offers amazing opportunities in this regard. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation wants to support the next generation in this way.

From start to finish: a vision of interconnectivity

A contribution by Tanja Reith

At the moment, the agricultural industries of African countries exist in relative isolation. Imagine peasant farmers digitally connected to the value chains of the global food industry. How could this happen? A guidebook.

The Life of Their Dreams - What Children Want

Interview with Gnininkaboka Dabiré and Innocent Somé

Later on you want to become a farmer yourself, or would you prefer to take up another profession? Two young people from Burkina-Faso talked to representatives of the Dreyer Foundation about their parents' farms, the profession of farmer and their own plans for the future.

An investment in Africa's future

A contritbution by Essa Chanie Mussa (University of Gondar)

Rural youth need viable livelihood opportunities to escape out of poverty and realize their aspirations. How could they be helped to fully unleash their potential? This is an aloud call that needs novel strategies among governments, policy makers, and international development partners and donors.

"Extreme is the new normal"

A report by Alexander Müller and Jes Weigelt (TMG)

As the climate changes, the population of Africa is growing and fertile land and jobs are becoming scarcer. New ways are currently leading to urbanisation of agriculture and a new mid-sized sector in the countryside

How do you campaign “Food Systems”?

Interview with Paul Newnham, Director of the SDG 2 Advocacy Hub.

The UN Food Systems pre-Summit in Rome dealt with transforming the ways of our nutrition. How do you bring that to a broad public? Questions to Paul Newnham, the Director of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 Advocacy Hub.

UNFSS Pre-Summit: What did it achieve?

Interview with Martina Fleckenstein (WWF), Michael Kühn (WHH) and Christel Weller-Molongua (GIZ)

After the summit means pre-summit: It was the first time that the United Nations held a summit on food systems. Martina Fleckenstein, Michael Kühn and Christel Weller-Molongua reviewed the situation in this joint interview.

Youth Employment in Rural Areas

The world’s population keeps on growing; with this rise comes an increased need for food as well as productive employment opportunities. Offering young people in rural areas better employment prospects is one of the objectives of the sector project. The young population is the key to a modern and efficient agricultural economy.

A project of GIZ

German G7 Presidency – fighting hunger with all our might

A Contribution by Welthungerhilfe

In the run-up to the G7 summit, experts from politics and civil society discussed sustainable and more effective options for action by the G7 states to combat hunger.

What does it take to truly shift the paradigm on food systems?

An Interview by GDPRD

Why are short- and long-term responses important to address current and future global crises? Sebastian Lesch, Head of the Agriculture Division at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), provides answers to these and other questions in an interview with the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) and explains how much Germany welcomes all donors pulling together and acting in concert.

How a Nigerian fintech wants to secure 1 billion US dollars for farms

An Interview with Blessing Mene

Small farmers often have a hard time getting financing. An app in Nigeria wants to change that: Founder Blessing Mene about what his app offers - and about the opportunities and limitations of agricultural financing.

The common thread is the importance of collaboration

A contribution by Scaling Up Nutrition Movement

It takes the joint efforts of diverse actors to achieve a transformative impact on the global food system. Barbara Rehbinder, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN), discusses four people-centred principles to get closer to this goal.

Agricultural Financing – from a broader Perspective

A Contribution by GIZ

In Sub-Saharan Africa, not all financial institutions (FIs) have access to knowledge about how to implement processes to enhance rural financial inclusion. The pan-African Community of Practice (CoP) plays a pivotal role in supporting these institutions along this transformative journey.

Agriculture is more than Culture or Tradition

A Contribution by Simeon Kambalame

How can agriculture engage more young people in rural areas? Advocacy and education campaigns can play an important role here. Simeon Kambalame, Timveni Child and Youth Media Organisation, has launched such a campaign in Malawi.

Sowing change

A Contribution by Brot für die Welt

Roughly 800 million people suffer from hunger worldwide. Change is needed - for people and for the environment. Brot für die Welt reports on the starting points offered by everyone's ecological footprint and handprint.

Shu Wen Ng, the Clear-Sighted

An Interview with Shu Wen Ng

Shu Wen Ng is a health economist. She knows what is best suited to go on a plate. But how can this be achieved on a mass scale in countries with lower incomes? "The solutions to gett there already exist," she says, "but what is often missing is courageous leadership to implement them."

African countries decide to tackle soil health challenges

A Contribution by GIZ

At the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (AFSH), organized by the African Union (AU) and the Government of Kenya in May, the Nairobi Declaration was adopted. It aims to triple domestic production of organic and inorganic fertilizers by 2034 and to improve access and affordability for smallholder farmers. GIZ reviews the Summit.

Coordination as a Game-Changer

A Contribution by Emmanuel Atamba & Larissa Stiem-Bhatia

Drawing on dialogues with experts in Kenya, TMG Research releases its latest policy brief highlighting the critical need to strengthen coordination mechanisms in food systems governance. Emmanuel Atamba and Larissa Stiem-Bhatia from TMG Research summarize the results.

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"We didn't even make it halfway"

By Jan Rübel

By Claudia Brück

By Dr. Torben Erbrath

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