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COCOA AND COFFEE FARMERS ALLIANCE ASSOCIATION OF AFRICA (COCEFAAA) SET TO
UNVEIL 3-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR AFRICA APRIL 9
…Initiative Put in Place To Protect Interest of Smallholder Farmers and Stakeholders in the Cocoa and Coffee Sectors – Global President Adeola Adegoke
The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) will unveil its 3-year development plan for Africa on 9th April, 2026.
This initiative has been put in place by
the leadership of the organization to inform stakeholders in the cocoa and coffee sectors, as well as the general public, of what COCEFAAA is bringing to the table for smallholder farmers, communities, and stakeholders across the continent, in order to change the trajectory of the underdevelopment of these two globally traded commodities.
It will be recalled that the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA)
transitioned into the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) on 24th March, 2026, following a Board resolution to merge cocoa and coffee in order to
build a stronger alliance voice connecting West, Central, and East Africa.
In addition, the two cash crops have enjoyed a robust relationship for over a decade in agroforestry practices
and share common socio-economic and environmental challenges.
Furthermore, international market access for both commodities has remained a major concern for buyers
and consumers over the years due to regulations, compliance requirements, and market volatility.
The underdevelopment of cocoa and coffee in areas such as pre- and post-harvest activities, low yields per hectare, absence of climate-resilient and pest- and disease-resistant high-yielding varieties, and low processing and value-addition capacity has been a major concern for the continent.
This has hindered the development of sustainable value chains and has
significantly contributed to the export of jobs outside Africa, inadequate GDP generation due to the export of raw commodities, and, more importantly, the low per capita earnings of smallholder cocoa and coffee farmers, which remain below one dollar per day.
In the cocoa sector, Africa remains the undisputed global leader in production, contributing approximately 70% of total global cocoa output, estimated at about 3.46 million metric tonnes out of 4.84 million metric tonnes globally.
The production is heavily concentrated in West Africa, led by Côte d’Ivoire (approximately 1.85 million tonnes), Ghana (about 750,000 tonnes), Nigeria (over 340,000 tonnes), and Cameroon (about 320,000 tonnes).
Despite this dominant production position, Africa captures only a small fraction of the global cocoa and chocolate market value.
While the global chocolate retail market is valued at over $120 billion USD annually, African countries collectively earn approximately $10 billion from
cocoa exports, representing less than 10% of the total global value chain.
This disparity is largely due to limited value addition, as most African countries continue to export raw cocoa beans rather than processed products such as cocoa butter, powder, and finished chocolate.
Similarly, in the coffee sector, although Africa is the historical birthplace of coffee and contributes approximately 12.5% of global production, its financial returns remain disproportionately low. As of 2025–2026, Africa’s total coffee export earnings are estimated at an average of $7.5 billion, which represents 3% of the $263.5 billion global coffee market.
This reflects a major value chain gap, where Africa exports primarily raw beans, while value addition occurs largely in Europe and North America.
Within Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia dominate coffee export earnings, contributing approximately 32% and 28% respectively of total African revenue.
Uganda has recently emerged as Africa’s leading exporter by volume, generating about $2.4 billion, while Ethiopia earns between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion due to premium pricing for its specialty Arabica coffee.
Recent market developments further highlight the volatility of the sector. During the 2024– 2025 cocoa crisis, global prices surged to over $12,000 per tonne before stabilizing between $3,000 and $6,000 in early 2026.
However, many African farmers were unable to fully benefit from this price increase due to fixed farmgate pricing systems. Additional challenges such as climate change, pests and diseases like the Cacao Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV), and compliance requirements such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) continue to put pressure on production and earnings.
In response to these challenges, African countries are increasingly pursuing value addition strategies.
Côte d’Ivoire, for example, has become the world’s leading cocoa grinder, processing nearly 800,000 tonnes locally, while Ghana has reaffirmed her commitment to process 50% of its totoal cocoa production locally and implement traceability systems to meet global market standards.
These efforts reflect a broader continental shift toward retaining more value within Africa.
The COCEFAAA 3-year development plan is designed to address these systemic challenges by repositioning Africa not only as a producer but also as a value-driven participant in the global cocoa and coffee economy.
The plan focuses on sustainable production, ntensification of agroforestry practices, strengthening of cooperative systems for improved market access, facilitation of robust policies, optimization of yields per hectare, and increased investment in local processing (grinding, roasting etc), infrastructure development, and community support systems.
The plan also aligns with continental goals to increase Africa’s share of the global coffee market to 20% by 2030, while promoting intra-African trade and strengthening domestic consumption across emerging markets such as Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Members across the continent are therefore enjoined to join the Zoom conference to be part of this historic moment of cocoa and coffee revitalization, reawakening, and sustainability for future generations.
E-signed:
Comrade Adeola Adegoke
Global President, COCEFAAA
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