This 5th edition of the World Cocoa Conference will be taking place on 21-24 April 2024 at the Brussels Convention Centre –Square1 – in Brussels, Belgium
The conference will focus on discussing measures leading to an equitable distribution of value along the cocoa supply chain, to ensure a better living income for farmers, under the theme: “Paying more for a Sustainable Cocoa”.
The event will be organized over a four-day period to cover plenary and breakout sessions.
Alongside the regular program the Global Village, a dynamic exhibition, will offer exhibition booths, private meeting spaces, silent sessions, and a number of peripheral events, providing the perfect space for learning, networking and interacting with the global cocoa community.
11:00
Registration Opens
14:00-16:30
SILVER HALL
Side events
Side event 1
Harnessing the value of cacao quality and diversity for improved producer livelihoods – presented by Bioversity International / CIAT Alliance
PART 1 – Developing capacity for understanding and improving cacao quality and flavour based on a common language
Moderator : Zoi Papalexandratou, Lead Cocoa Advisor, Zoto
Speakers:
PART 2 – Development of a Superior Quality Cacao market segment: Aligning vision across the value chain
Moderator: Jonas Mva Mva, IDH Regional Director Africa, Landscapes & Cocoa The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH)
Speakers:
COPPER HALL
Side event 2 – “Value and costs’ distribution in the cocoa and chocolate value chain” – presented by BASIC
Moderator: Peter Moehringer, GIZ
Speakers:
17:00
AGORA
Official Inauguration of the Exhibition
17:30-19:00
Welcome Drinks Reception sponsored by Molenbergnatie
07:30
WCC5 Conference Registration continues
09:15
Opening of the Conference
Introduction by the Facilitator: Leanne de Bassompierre
09:15
Opening Speech by Her Majesty the Queen
10:15
Statement by Mrs. Harper McConnell, VP Global Cocoa Sustainability, Mars, Platinum Sponsor
10:30
Cocoa Break
11:00
Policy Approach of the Belgian Development Cooperation for Sustainable Cocoa Supply Chain
Moderator: Dr Heidy Rombouts, Director-General, Directorate-General Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid
Opening speech: H.E. Caroline Gennez, Minister of Development Cooperation and of Major Cities Policy of the Kingdom of Belgium
Panellists: Mr Yessongbananan Moussa Yeo, Director-General, Yeyasso cooperative, Ivory Coast; H.E. Abou Dosso, Ambassador of the Republic of Ivory Coast to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the European Union, former chair of the OACPS working party on cocoa; Dr Frédéric Lapeyre, Director of the Priority Action Programme on Formalization at the ILO; Professor Dr Surya Deva, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development
11:45
Presentation by Michel Arrion, Executive Director, ICCO, of the main theme of the Conference, and its relevance for ICCO
12:15
Conference programme outlined by the Facilitator: Leanne de Bassompierre
12:30
Lunch Break and Press Conference
14:00
Panel 1: The quest for the living income of smallholder farmers: why are we stuck and how can we fix it?
Moderator: Viwanou Gnassounou
Lead panellist: Alex Arnaud Assanvo (CIGHCI)
Panelists: Anna Laven; Omer Maledy (CICC of Cameroun); Charles Snoeck (ISCO); Leticia Yankey (Cocoa Mmaa Cooperative Ghana); Timothy S. McCoy (The Hershey Company); Pauline Zei (INADES)
Alex Arnaud Assanvo
(CIGHCI)
15:30
Cocoa Break
16:00
The EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative
The detailed programme can be accessed here.
17:30
Key highlights and summary of the day by the Facilitator: Leanne de Bassompierre
17:45
End of the day
| Time Slot | TRACK 1 | TRACK 2 | TRACK 3 |
| COPPER HALL | SILVER HALL | GOLD HALL | |
| SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | MARKET DEVELOPMENT | GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT AND THE FUNCTIONING OF MARKETS | |
| Moderator 1: Tedd George | Moderator 2: Leanne de Bassompierre | Moderator 3: Viwanou Gnassounou | |
| 09:00 | Panel 2: The true cost of cocoa | Panel 6: Prospects for the Asian cocoa markets | Panel 10: Cocoa policies and regulations |
|
There is a pressing need for a new paradigm in business operations, where companies must consider the environment and social costs incurred by their activities. Is the cocoa sector ready to take on this challenge?
Lead panellist:
Gricha Safarian
Panellists: Carla Veldhuyzen van Zanten (Fairtrade International), Virginie Mfegue (Solidaridad International), Anne Meyer (Nitidae), Andrea Rusman (Impact Institute and True Price Foundation), Sylvestre Seka (Coffee and Cocoa Council, Côte d’Ivoire) |
The markets of developing and emerging economies serve 85% of the world population; and, yet they absorb only one-third of the world cocoa production. What is the most suitable marketing-mix to target these markets?
Lead panellist:
Michele Cui (CAA)
Panellists: Ramesh Kumar (Cocoa Manufacturing Group Malaysia), Arief Susanto (Askindo), Merlyn Casanova Loor (National Association of Cocoa Exporters of Ecuador-ANECACAO), a representative from Indonesia, Fuad Mohammed Abubakar(Ghana Cocoa Marketing Company, UK) |
Importing and exporting countries have adopted policies, regulations, and standards on sustainable cocoa. Are they compatible? What is their impact on trade, costs and prices?
Lead panellist:
Olivier Wybo
Panelists: Astrid Ladefoged (DG ENV -EC), Koné Brahima Yves (Coffee and Cocoa Council, Côte d’Ivoire), Joseph Boahen Aidoo (Ghana Cocoa Board), Beatrice Moulianitaki (Meridia), Chris Vincent (WCF), Cecile Renier (UCL), Barbara Trachte(Secretary of State of the Brussels Government) |
|
| 10:30 | Cocoa Break | Cocoa Break | Cocoa Break |
| 11:00 | Panel 3: Farmer Income and Social Responsibility in cocoa farming | Panel 7: Sensorial and nutraceutical quality attributes | Panel 11: Supply management |
|
Smallholder farmers are poor. Land tenure issues, low yields, low prices, bad purchasing practices are well-known drivers of poverty. But very little has changed. What went wrong? What should have been different?
Lead panellist:
Jordy van Honk
Panellists: Regis Meritan (DG INTPA), Mathieu Desantoine (Enabel – Trade for Development Center), Tawiah Agyarko Kwarteng (CIGHCI), Carolina Aguilar (Lutheran World Relief), Sylvestre Awono (Puratos), Karen Janssens (Colruyt), Michael Ndoping (ONCC, Cameroun) |
Taste has always been a factor affecting consumer choices. Meanwhile, nutraceuticals products are increasingly in-demand. Which opportunities are these trends offering to the cocoa sector?
Lead panellist:
Dayog Kabore
Panellists: M. Simon Bassanaga (CICC), Fabien Coutel (Treegether), Juan Hinojosa Gómez (Ministry of Agriculture of Dominican Republic), Ambroise NKOH (SCOOP-PCCPA Côte d’Ivoire), Sophie Vanderbecken (Le Caméléon) |
Growth in the demand for cocoa products is limited. Indeed, while emerging and developing countries represent a considerable market, consumption per capita has not improved due to the limited growth in income. On the other hand, the expansion of cocoa consumption in volumes in advanced economies is constrained by the low natality rate. Could supply management play a role in supporting international cocoa prices?
Lead panellist:
Olasunkanmi Owoyemi
Panellists: Pascal Tillie (JRC), Marijn Moesbergen (Cargill), Merlyn Casanova (National Association of Cocoa Exporters of Ecuador -ANECACAO), Victor Iyama (FACAN), Emmanuel Opoku, (Ghana Cocoa Board)
|
|
| 12:30 | Lunch Break | Lunch Break | Lunch Break |
| 14:00 | Panel 4: Strengthening Global Partnerships | Panel 8: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures | Panel 12: Commodity Exchange |
|
Many governments and agencies are supporting the economic, environmental, social sustainability of the cocoa sector through development cooperation projects. How can these activities contribute to improve the living income of cocoa farmers?
Lead panellist:
Lisa Kirfel
Panellists: Mohamed Manssouri (FAO Investment Centre), Valerie Reboud (European Forest Institute), Koen van Troos (Beyond Chocolate), Ramle Kasin (Malaysian Cocoa Board), Johanna Renckens (Rikolto), Kirsti Gjertsen (Port of Antwerp)
|
The adoption of new food safety measures, addressing health hazards previously unknown, can have unintended consequences for those stakeholders who lack the capacity to adapt promptly to these changes. What can be done to minimize the risks of trade diversion?
Lead panellist:
Marc Joncheere
Panellists: Frans Verstraete (DG SANTE, EC), Syed Mustaq Kader (Mask Associates), Hanuman Jain (Gloster Jute), Patricio Almeida (AGROCALIDAD), Catherine Entzminger (ECA)
|
In many producing countries, farmers sell their cocoa through punctual, arm-length transactions without any bargaining power. The presence of commodity exchanges in exporting countries could not only serve as a marketing information system but be instrumental in providing farmers with collateralized loans.
Lead panellist:
Tucci Ivowi
Panellists: Debajyoti Bhattacharyya (AFEX Nigeria), Anthony Afam Atuche (Nigeria Commodity Exchange), Vladimir Zientek (Stone X), Kingsley Mbah, (Afreximbank)
|
|
| 15:30 | Cocoa Break | Cocoa Break | Cocoa Break |
| 16:00 | Panel 5: The role of women in cocoa community | Panel 9: Cocoa By-products | Panel 13: Farmer Representativeness |
|
Women play an important role in cocoa farm communities, not only as farm workers but foremost as caregivers. Panellists will discuss the current issues and proposed solutions to increase the inclusiveness within the cocoa farm communities.
Lead panellist:
Hilary Barry
Panellists: Caterine Cerda (Kallari & Trias), Nadege Nzoyem (Rainforest Alliance), Sonia Lehmann (GIZ), Harper McConnell (Mars), Elda Esneda Daza Piedrahita (National Federation of Cocoa Growers of Colombia) |
Cocoa beans represent only a small share of the weight of the cacao fruits. The pod and the pulp are considered as waste. How can we create a market for by-products to complement the income of cocoa farmers?
Lead panellist:
Christine Englebert
Panellists: Lars Gierveld (Kumasi drinks), Koumbou Hien (GIZ), Anian Schreiber (Koa Impact), Frédéric-Amon Marc TANOUH (SCEB cooperative), Fernando Antonio Teixeira Mendes (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil), Claudia Delbaere (CACAOLAB)
|
Farmers are not only the weakest link in the value chain, but they are also rarely included in stakeholders’ consultations. What can be done to improve the representativeness of farmers?
Lead panellist:
Freddy Cabello
Panellists: Evelyn Bahn (INKOTA), Assata Doumbia (COOP CA ECAM, Côte d’Ivoire), Nkoulou Wong (SCOOPS-AC), Abdulahi Aliyu (Rikolto), Wendy Arenas Wightman (ALISOS), Alexandre Robitaille-Lachance, (SOCODEVI), Traoré Bakary (COOP CA SOCAMEA, Côte d’Ivoire)
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| 17:30 | Wrap-up and closing remarks by the Moderator | Wrap-up and closing remarks by the Moderator | Wrap-up and closing remarks by the Moderator |
| 19:00 | GALA DINNER sponsored by StoneX | GALA DINNER sponsored by StoneX | GALA DINNER sponsored by StoneX |
09:00
The Quest for Sustainability: Challenges and Prospects
Lieve Verboven (ILO)
09:30
The Global Cocoa Agenda: A Roadmap or A Dead End?
Presentation by
Antonie Fountain,
the Cocoa Barometer Consortium
Antonie C. Fountain Managing Director, VOICE Network
10:00
Q&A
10:15
Reports by the 3 Panel Moderators
11:15
Cocoa Break
11:45
Wrap-up by the Facilitator with an interactive panel
Dr. Jorge Rojas Rodríguez, Ambassador of Colombia in Belgium
Mr. Marchel Gerrmann, Ambassador Business and Development (Netherlands)
Mr. Philippe Brandt, Ambassador of Switzerland in Belgium
Mr. Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade of Cameroon
Mr. Aldo Cristiano, President, CAOBISCO
Mr. Guus de Gruiter, Board member of ECA
Mr. Eduard Baquero, President of the cocoa producers of Colombia (FEDECACAO)
Mr. Bakary Traoré, Executive Director, IDEF/PICD
12:15
WCC5 Brussels Declaration
Mr. Michel Arrion, Executive Director of the ICCO
He will read out the Brussels Declaration and will deliver concluding remarks
12:45
Official closing of the conference
13:00-14:00
Lunch Break
Note: in the afternoon, a side event will be organized by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, for the ICCO Members Delegates only
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