An “Open Secret:” Illegal Ivorian Cocoa

Mighty Earth's investigation in Côte d’Ivoire reveals that cocoa production is the primary driver of illegal deforestation in protected areas, such as Scio, Goin Debe, and Mount Peko National Park. The report describes a system where farmers encroach on parks, kill ancient trees to open the canopy, and collaborate with predatory loggers to harvest remaining hardwoods. This process has led to the loss of over 80% of the country's forests between 1960 and 2010 and the eradication of primate populations in 13 of 23 surveyed protected areas. Despite commitments from 34 major chocolate companies and the Ivorian government to end deforestation, the report finds that illegal cultivation continues in broad daylight, supported by an 'open secret' of government inaction and the presence of illegal settlements numbering around 30,000 people in parks like Marahoué and Mont Péko.

• Cocoa production is considered the primary cause of deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire, with a significant portion of exported cocoa originating from within forest reserves and national parks.
• Between 1960 and 2010, more than 80% of Côte d’Ivoire's forests were lost. This environmental destruction has severely impacted wildlife; a study found that 13 out of 23 surveyed protected areas lost their entire primate populations.
• Illegal cocoa cultivation is widespread and visible, with entire towns and villages established inside protected areas. Marahoué Park and Mont Péko Park each have illegal populations of approximately 30,000 people, including infrastructure like schools and health centers.
• In Mount Peko National Park, cocoa expansion has driven forest destruction, with an annual production of 10,000 tonnes of cocoa valued at over $28 million.
• Despite a commitment by 34 of the world's largest chocolate companies to end deforestation, and various promises from the Ivorian government, the report notes that these commitments have not yet translated into actual forest protection.

APA

Jones, S. (2017). An “Open Secret:” Illegal Ivorian Cocoa. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/an-open-secret-illegal-ivorian-cocoa/

Chicago

Jones, Sydney. An “Open Secret:” Illegal Ivorian Cocoa. Mighty Earth, 2017. https://mightyearth.org/article/an-open-secret-illegal-ivorian-cocoa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jones |first1=Sydney |title=An “Open Secret:” Illegal Ivorian Cocoa |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=31 July 2017 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/an-open-secret-illegal-ivorian-cocoa/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jones2017open, author = {Jones, Sydney}, title = {{An “Open Secret:” Illegal Ivorian Cocoa}}, institution = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2017}, month = jul, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/an-open-secret-illegal-ivorian-cocoa/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }