A Not-So-Sweet Side of ChocolateGrowing the Cacao TreesThe chocolate that ends up on supermarket shelves usually contains cocoa or cacao. Both are made from cacao beans, which are harvested from cacao trees. Much of this harvesting is done in Ivory Coast. The country is the world's top cacao producer. But not all cacao farming in Ivory Coast is done legitimately. And widespread illegal cacao farming has caused a deforestation crisis for the West African nation.A 2017 investigation by environmental group Mighty Earth found that many of Ivory Coast's national parks and protected areas "have been entirely or almost entirely cleared of forest." The trees have been replaced with cacao-growing operations. One of these areas is Mont Pko National Park. It is home to chimpanzees, pygmy hippopotamuses, and other endangered species.For activists, chocolate is not an acceptable tradeoff for ecologically valuable forests. "We can't indulge in a feel-good luxury product at the expense of a huge swath of tropical rainforest," said Etelle Higonnet, a senior advisor for Mighty Earth.In 2017, the governments of Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's other top cacao producer, reached an agreement with officials representing several food giants that make chocolate, like Nestl, Mars, and Hershey. They pledged to work together to end deforestation. Rick Scobey, the president of the World Cocoa Foundation, called it an "important environmental achievement." Mars furthered its pledge in 2018. It committed to purchasing all of its cocoa from sustainable sources by 2025.Now, park rangers in Ivory Coast are doing their part to protect the country's forests from illegal farming. On a recent patrol in Mont Pko National Park, it didn't take long for the rangers to find cacao growing illegally. Using machetes, the team set to work removing it.But for all these efforts, there has been limited progress, said Kpolo Ouattara, head of the Mont Pko sector for the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves. "Roughly, more than 800 hectares [1,977 acres] of cacao has been cut. Compared to the park's total area of 34,000 hectares [84,016 acres], that's very little."Some observers worry that local traders are willing to turn a blind eye to illegally farmed cacao that is headed for the global chocolate market. That means that farmers are able to sell their cacao beans whether they're legally grown or not. So some of the world's beloved chocolate likely comes from beans that were grown illegally.Higonnet believes chocolate companies have a duty to let their customers know where their chocolate is coming from. "Let's have total transparency all the way from the bar in your handdown to the farm," she said. "[Chocolate producers should] really give customers peace of mind that chocolate eating isn't contributing to killing chimps or elephants."Working on Cacao FarmsWhen it comes to chocolate production, human rights are yet another concern. West Africa's cacao farmers work in difficult conditions to harvest the beans. And many of these cacao workers are children. Some of them aren't paid.In 2015, Tulane University in the United States released a study on child labor in the West African chocolate industry. The report estimated that 2.1 million child laborers in Ivory Coast and Ghana worked in cacao production in the 20132014 cacao harvest season. It also found that almost 96 percent of the children were involved in hazardous work. Some of the children studied were also deprived of an education. In fact, Tulane estimated that in Ivory Coast, about 30 percent of the children who worked in cacao farming did not attend school.The dark side of the chocolate industry has made some chocolate lovers think twice about the chocolate they eat. Scobey says customers should choose brands that advertise their adherence to international standards. He also recommends that customers check brand websites for information about their commitments to environmental and human rights concerns.What does this Article primarily discuss?A.It's possible that local traders are ignoring the law and purchasing beans from illegal cacao farms in Ivory Coast.B.Significant environmental and human rights concerns exist within the process of harvesting cacao beans in Ivory Coast and Ghana.C.Difficult working conditions at Ivory Coast and Ghana cacao farms were the topic of a study conducted by Tulane University.D.Park rangers in Ivory Coast combat local deforestation by using machetes to remove illegal cacao trees.

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louisa10 · Accepted Answer

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adolphus.rippin · Answer

B. Significant environmental and human rights concerns exist within the process of harvesting cacao beans in Ivory Coast and Ghana.

This article primarily discusses the environmental issues related to deforestation caused by illegal cacao farming in Ivory Coast, as well as the human rights concerns, including child labor, associated with cacao production in West Africa. It highlights the challenges and consequences of cacao production in the region, emphasizing the need for addressing both environmental and human rights issues within the industry.

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