Between October 2023 and March 2024 we, IDEF with the participation of ID Cocoa, carried out an independent monitoring investigation to better understand the flow of cacao between Liberia and Ivory Coast. More specifically, we sought to: confirm the existence of the trade; examine its role in driving deforestation in Liberia; understand the incentive structures driving the flow; and explore implications in the broader international effort to decouple cacao from deforestation.

Our investigation included a field mission in both Liberia and Ivory Coast, in an area that has experienced significant deforestation in the past year based on our analyses using Global Forest Watch. On the Liberia side, we spoke to cacao farmers and community members in the villages of Yargbeken, Touwloken and Partaken. On the Ivory Coast side, we spoke to representatives from multiple cacao cooperatives that allegedly purchase cacao from Liberian producers

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