Marketing for Sustainable Development

11The Role of the Fairtrade Label in the Spread of Sustainable Production and Responsible Consumption in West Africa: The Case of Côte d’Ivoire¹

Mantiaba COULIBALY-BALLET

GRM, Côte d’Azur University, IAE Nice, France

11.1. Introduction

The year 2020 was marked by a health crisis caused by the Covid-19 virus and every country in the world has been affected. The impact of this virus is beginning to be felt, in particular among producers throughout West Africa, as well as in Central/South America and the Caribbean. One of the main concerns relates to the continued drop in cocoa prices (down approximately 25% since 2016). In addition, the transportation and export of this raw material are increasingly difficult owing to border closures (Fairtrade 2020). Alongside this health crisis are the consequences of climate change: increasing drought, rising sea levels, the acidification of the oceans, coastal erosion, etc. (Clairouin et al. 2014). Moreover, cocoa cultivation in Africa is often responsible for the destruction of native forests, owing to fires caused by farmers. The consequences of climate change remind all countries of the importance of sustainable development.

In addition to these challenges, Africa is facing other issues, such as the significant growth of its rural populations (Vimard and Fassassi 2011) and difficulties at the production level for some products, such as coffee and cocoa. More specifically, the issue of remuneration of producers in West Africa often arises, ...