A typical cocoa farmer works on a plot of not more than 3.5 hectares and uses income gained from cocoa to support between six and eight family members. A recent study showed that over two-thirds of cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire live below the poverty line. It also found that 34 percent of farmers were extremely poor (less than $1.25 per day) and that fully 39 percent were poor (defined as income between $1.25-$2.50 per day).

Despite these fundamental challenges, solutions are within reach. Evidence shows that with improved planting materials and proper management practices, cocoa farmers can double or triple their yields — that means going from an annual income of $2,500 per year on a typical smallholder farm to $7,000 or more. At World Cocoa Foundation, we’ve also modeled this out to create a deeper understanding of how an individual farmer can transform household income through proper planning and farm management.

Read the full article about sustainable solutions at the base of the cocoa supply chain by Paul Macek at Skoll.