The government of Togo has formally become a signatory to the newly concluded International Cocoa Agreement (ICA 2026), a global pact designed to reshape cooperation between cocoa-producing and consuming nations and address long-standing structural challenges in the cocoa sector. Togo signed the agreement on 13 February 2026 at the United Nations Cocoa Conference hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, signalling its commitment to advancing national and regional objectives around farmer incomes, sustainability and value-chain development. Togo joined countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Nicaragua among the earliest signatories of the reformed agreement, positioning itself to play a more influential role in the governance of the global cocoa market.
The ICA 2026 replaces the previous 2010 International Cocoa Agreement and departs from fixed-term renewals by establishing an open-ended framework aimed at stabilising a sector historically prone to wide price fluctuations, supply imbalances and inconsistent market access. At its core, the agreement emphasises living incomes for producers, sustainable agricultural practices, expanded value addition in producing countries, and strengthened integration between producing and consuming markets. These priorities reflect the collective voice of West African producing nations, whose combined output accounts for the majority of global cocoa supply.
Central to the ICA 2026 is the commitment to secure living incomes for cocoa farmers, a longstanding demand from producer countries. By aligning price structures, production incentives and trade policies, the agreement seeks to ensure that smallholder growers receive returns that cover both production costs and a reasonable standard of living. This focus on equitable compensation responds to enduring concerns about the disparity between cocoa retail prices and the incomes farmers actually receive, a mismatch that has contributed to rural poverty, labour challenges and youth migration out of farming communities in West Africa and beyond.
The ICA 2026 also promotes local processing of cocoa products in producing countries, encouraging investment into industrial uses of cocoa in sectors such as food processing, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This emphasis on value addition aligns with broader efforts across West Africa to capture more revenue domestically rather than exporting primarily raw beans. Enhanced processing capabilities can generate jobs, support industrialisation and increase countries’ participation in higher value segments of the global cocoa value chain.
Sustainability forms another key pillar of the agreement, with the introduction of dedicated provisions covering economic, environmental and social standards. These provisions reflect evolving international supply chain expectations, including compliance with emerging regulatory norms such as the European Union’s deforestation regulations, which impose stringent requirements on agricultural imports to prevent forest loss tied to commodity production. By embedding sustainability standards into the ICA 2026, signatory countries like Togo demonstrate a commitment to aligning their cocoa sectors with global expectations around responsible sourcing, ecosystem protection and climate adaptation.
Togo’s ratification of the ICA 2026 was facilitated through its Coordination Committee for Coffee and Cocoa Sectors (CCFCC), the national body responsible for overseeing strategic direction and governance in these key agricultural sectors. By joining the agreement, Togo seeks to amplify its voice in the formulation of international cocoa policy, attract investment into domestic processing facilities, and promote conditions that enable farmers to benefit more directly from global market growth.
The timing of Togo’s accession aligns with broader efforts across the cocoa belt to strengthen farmer resilience and embed sustainability throughout the value chain. For example, private and public initiatives in cocoa-producing countries have focused on improving agricultural practices, expanding cooperative structures and integrating innovative approaches such as digital traceability and agroforestry, which can contribute to higher yields and greater environmental resilience for smallholder producers. These initiatives, often supported by international partners, aim to complement global policy efforts like the ICA 2026 by enhancing on-farm productivity and income potential.
Within West Africa, regional cooperation around cocoa has also taken shape through organisations like the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), formed to jointly influence global pricing mechanisms and advocate for fairer returns for farmers in the world’s largest and second largest cocoa producing countries. The combined presence of regional initiatives and global frameworks like the ICA 2026 underscores a multi-layered strategy to address systemic issues in cocoa value chains.
Despite progress, the cocoa sector continues to face persistent challenges including climate vulnerability, ageing farm trees and fluctuating farmgate prices that can leave farmers vulnerable to economic shock. Initiatives that go beyond price agreements, such as enhanced extension services, improved access to finance and climate-smart agriculture programs, will be essential to complement the policy gains envisaged under the ICA 2026. Embedding sustainability principles and broader support mechanisms into national implementation plans will be crucial for converting high-level commitments into tangible improvements in farmer livelihoods.
Togo’s accession to the ICA 2026 therefore represents not only a diplomatic achievement but also a strategic step in reshaping its cocoa sector. By aligning with a forward-looking international framework that champions equitable compensation, local industrial growth and environmental stewardship, Togo is positioning itself to better integrate into global supply chains, attract value-adding investment and support a future where cocoa farming is viable, sustainable and rewarding for the smallholders at the heart of the industry.