OMO FOREST RESERVE, Nigeria – Habitat for critically endangered African forest elephants is in jeopardy due to the demand for chocolate, according to an investigation by The Associated Press. Deforestation driven by cocoa cultivation is rapidly depleting the Omo Forest Reserve in southwestern Nigeria, a protected rainforest that serves as one of Africa’s oldest and largest UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and plays a crucial role in combating climate change.
Conservation officials report that farmers are encroaching into conservation areas where cocoa farming is prohibited. The AP’s investigation involved interviews with 20 farmers, two brokers, and five licensed buying agents who revealed that cocoa beans from the reserve are finding their way into the global chocolate supply chain.
Among the key companies implicated in the sourcing of cocoa from the Omo Forest Reserve are Singapore-based Olam Group, Nigeria’s Starlink Global and Ideal Limited – which supplies General Cocoa in the United States – and Tulip Cocoa Processing Limited, associated with Dutch traders.
While major chocolate manufacturers such as Mars Inc. and Ferrero are supplied by these trading companies, the complex and opaque nature of the chocolate supply chain makes it difficult to ascertain whether cocoa from deforested parts of the reserve is used in popular brands like Snickers, M&Ms, Butterfinger, and Nutella.
Despite the threat posed to the Omo Forest Reserve’s ecosystem, an estimated 1.4 million people in Nigeria who depend on cocoa production for their livelihood are increasingly resorting to farming in the reserve due to aging cocoa trees becoming less productive.
Conservation officials point fingers at the state government, accusing it of failing to enforce laws prohibiting cocoa farming within the reserve. Though the government has identified buildings within the conservation zone for removal, no action has been taken thus far.
In response to the AP’s investigation, Olam Group has stated that it forbids its farmer group Ore Agbe Ijebu from sourcing cocoa from protected areas and that suppliers found to be illegally deforesting would be removed from its supply chain.
Tulip Cocoa Processing Limited claims its supplies are not sourced from protected areas and highlights its certification by the Rainforest Alliance as proof of compliance with sustainability standards. The company states that it uses GPS mapping of farms, but farmers and buying agents contradict this assertion, stating that no such questionnaires were required before their cocoa was purchased.
Starlink Global, though not making sustainable sourcing claims on its website, supplies General Cocoa, which does emphasize sustainable practices. Starlink currently has a traceability program in place but has not extended it to the Omo Forest Reserve and Ogun state, according to company spokesperson Sambo Abubakar.
Ferrero maintains that its supplies adhere to stringent requirements and come from sources verified by the Control Union certifying body. The company states that GPS mapping and satellite monitoring show that its cocoa sourcing in Nigeria does not originate from protected forest areas.
Mars Inc. declares its commitment to obtaining 100% responsibly sourced and traceable cocoa by 2025. Preliminary findings suggest that none of the farms Mars has mapped overlap with the Omo Forest Reserve, enabling them to hold suppliers accountable should deforestation be suspected.
Sucden Group, the parent company of General Cocoa, asserts that it manages risks to forest conservation by sourcing Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa and employing satellite images and farm mapping. The company is investigating the allegations concerning Starlink and plans to respond accordingly.
Ritter Sport, a German chocolate company that uses Olam as a supplier, has confirmed that its supplies are sourced outside deforested forests, according to statements from Olam.
The AP’s investigation sheds light on the alarming threat to the Omo Forest Reserve posed by cocoa cultivation and highlights the urgent need for stricter enforcement and sustainable sourcing practices within the chocolate industry. As climate change and deforestation continue to impact wildlife and ecosystems, the responsible and ethical sourcing of cocoa becomes increasingly vital.
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