A Journey Through the Cocoa Belt

December marks the peak of cocoa farming—a time when the lifeblood of the global chocolate industry flows from these fields to the world. International Commodities has ventured here not only to witness this critical season but to forge a deeper connection with the farmers who shape this industry.

The day begins humbly, with a chaotic symphony of taxis and local bus systems. Cramped van seating serves as a bus system with two rows of seating faces forward while the other two perpendicular rows fact the center. Little children stand in the space between adults’ legs while an employee stands with the back door open holding onto an inside fixture. The bus winds outside the city limits down paved streets towards villages. The modern world fades, giving way to a landscape untouched by time.

The bus stops on the side of the road leading to a small village. This one village is not typical of the huts as seen on television documentaries. A cluster of thatched-roof homes stand on top of the concrete block structure of the homes. The bathroom is made of sticks for added privacy. Under the shade of a large communal hut, the villagers have gathered, their faces alight with curiosity and welcome. At the front of the gathering sits the chief, an elder with a commanding presence softened by his warm greeting. After a few introductions, he opens his fields for International Commodities to experience. Cocoa, coffee beans, palm oil, bananas, plantains, rubber tree (which is also used to make plastic), and oranges are not just their crop—it is their history, their present, and hope for the future.

A villager guides a walk through plots which doesn’t have the sophisticated designation for crops as they do in the United States. The trail, well-worn by generations and dense vegetation. Along the path, towering trees stand sentinel, their bark expertly sliced to collect a milky sap that drips into small containers tied to their trunks. This sap is used to produce plastic. Even our trees give more than just cocoa.

Further down the trail, the thuds of activity grows louder. In a clearing, a group of villagers is hard at work cracking open freshly harvested cocoa pods. Thick wooden branches serve as makeshift clubs to break the tough exteriors and reveal the treasure within. Inside each pod lies a cluster of creamy white seeds, slick with pulp. These seeds are the first step in the journey to chocolate.

Buckets filled with freshly extracted seeds are carried to a sun-drenched tarp nearby, where the fermentation process begins. Spread out like glistening varying colors of pearls, the seeds are left to bask under the African sun, their transformation carefully monitored by experienced handlers. One villager picks up a cup filled with the liquid seeping from the fermenting seeds and drinks the day’s liquid which seeps below. “This is a sweet drink from the cocoa,” he says with a grin. After roughly 24 hours the sweet liquid will ferment alcohol.

The resilience of the farmers, the harmony of their labor, and the tangible connection between the land and their livelihoods. ECAM’s role in this ecosystem is clear: not just as a buyer but as a partner in sustainability, working to ensure that these farmers not only survive but thrive. For these farmers, every seed is a story, every pod a promise. And for the world that enjoys the fruits of their labor, the journey of cocoa is one that begins with the dedication of hands and the richness of the soil, deep in the heart of the Ivory Coast.