Recently, after I read a news that talks about the cocoa prices and income of farmers, I started to concern about the future of cocoa industry. Traditional farming techniques are actually trapping farmers into poverty, with most are unable to earn enough to cover their living cost, whereas the chocolate companies earn 70% in the revenues.

Huge income difference is not a good signal of cocoa industry, so after I took class on COMM 101, I found a blog that was written by Marty Lariviere, who introduced corporate social responsibility principle into cocoa industry. This blog inspired me a lot because “the company can only be successful if everyone else around it is successful.” The followings are some suggestions about how chocolate companies can create shared value focusing on area of farmers. Share in the Sales of an Average Chocolate Bar

Firstly, companies can provide farmer some training program to improve the quality of cocoa. They can also provide technical support in farms in order to expand the crop yields. Besides, holding some community social activities, such as education, healthcare initiatives, can change the life quality of farmers and their families, so that farmers are possible to build long-term relationship with the companies. If the income of farmers increases, they will be more willing to stay in this industry and produce cocoa in a sustainable, ecological way. Consequently, chocolate companies can receive a large volume of high-quality cocoa, to meet the increasing demand of goods from consumers. They are more competitive in market as well.