Cameroon Cocoa Farmers Adapt to EU Deforestation Rules Amid Price Crash
As the EU’s deforestation-free cocoa regulation takes effect, Cameroonian farmers are adopting sustainable practices but warn that plummeting prices threaten their livelihoods.
- EU Deforestation Regulation requires all imported cocoa to be deforestation-free and traceable starting next year.
- Cocoa prices in Cameroon have dropped by more than half since the 2023-2024 peak, falling to roughly USD 4.77 per kg.
- Cameroon is the world's fifth-largest cocoa producer, with recent national output reaching 309,518 metric tons.
- WWF is helping farmers meet compliance through land mapping, georeferencing, and sustainable agroforestry training.
Cocoa farmers in southeast Cameroon are preparing for the implementation of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) next year, which mandates that all cocoa imported into the EU must be deforestation-free, fully traceable, and legally produced. While producers are adapting to these stricter standards, they express deep concern over a dramatic collapse in cocoa prices that has halved their income since 2023.
In Ekombitie village, within the Dja-et-Lobo area of Cameroon’s South Region, cooperative farmers report that cocoa prices have fallen from a peak of FCFA 6,000 (USD 10.42) per kilogram in the 2023–2024 season to between FCFA 2,750 and 2,850 (USD 4.77–4.94) this year. This sharp decline has left many unable to afford essential farming inputs.
Despite the financial strain, farmers are adopting agroforestry best practices to comply with the new rules. Paul Mbarga Jr., a local farmer, notes that he cultivates his one-hectare farm in an old-growth forest area previously exploited by timber companies, ensuring no further deforestation occurs. He and others emphasize selective pruning and preserving medicinal and fruit trees to maintain ecological balance.
Issah Naimuaforkang Kinyui, chief of Ekombitie, has increased his annual yield from three to ten bags per hectare by implementing these sustainable techniques. However, he warns that without a corresponding increase in compensation for the extra labor and organizational burden required by the EUDR, farmers risk discouragement.
"If after respecting the regulation we don’t see the gains, we will be discouraged," Mbarga says, highlighting the community’s demand for fair pricing that reflects the premium quality of certified cocoa.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is assisting cooperatives through its CANOPE initiative, helping farmers map their land for georeferencing and obtain property titles. These steps are crucial for establishing the traceability systems required by the EU regulation. WWF staff also provide training on sustainable agricultural methods and have built sun-drying facilities to improve bean quality.
Cameroon is currently the world’s fifth-largest cocoa producer, with national output reaching a record 309,518 metric tons recently. As the industry navigates this transition, the central challenge remains balancing environmental compliance with economic viability for smallholder farmers.
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