Sustainability in the Cocoa Production Chain in Côte d’Ivoire: Schooling, Women Empowerment and Household Living Condition

摘要

With a view to ensuring sustainability in the cocoa production chain in C ôte d’Ivoire, various organizations including cocoa companies are intervening, through NGOs, in cocoa production areas to improve women empowerment; improve education, and vocational training of young people with the ultimate objective of improving the living conditions of cocoa producing populations. What is the status of the associated indicators? The study attempted to evaluate the status of the associated indicators regarding living condition of cocoa famers through education, women empowerment and vocational training. Base on a combination of probability sampling and qualitative interviews, 30 communities, 678 children and 360 women were selected considering beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of support and according to the categories of eligible populations and leading to 2291 interviews conducted overall, and an overall response rate of 92%. Different indicators were considered to measure literacy and numeracy skills; multidimensional poverty; and women empowerment. Quantitative methods were used notably ANCOVA and multivariate data analysis. The main findings are as follows: 1) Living conditions in the communities are closer to the national situation. Monetary poverty rate is 42%, with a greater extent among large households; 2) Children’s French and Math skills are average and those of adult women are low; 3) There is also child labor. In these communities, three out of five children devote themselves entirely to their studies while one child out of six is at work; 4) Women are involved in production activities, particularly cocoa cultivation, food crops and IGAs. However, women empowerment is not relevant.