It has been almost one year since the ALDI SOUTH Group committed to a joint project with Fairtrade, cocoa cooperative ECAMOM, and chocolate manufacturer Storck. Our primary objective is to ensure that cooperatives are resilient through long-term sourcing partnerships, while also promoting growth and sustainability within the cocoa farming communities. It's time to look back and take stock of the achievements so far.
The cocoa sector in Côte d'Ivoire faces numerous challenges, such as climate change, gender inequality, child and forced labour, financial exclusion, and inadequate farm management systems. Local cocoa cooperative ECAMOM plays a vital role in supporting producers and contributing to the country's economy. In 2024, ALDI launched a joint project with Fairtrade, ECAMOM and chocolate manufacturer Storck that addresses these challenges and concentrates on key initiatives. The monitoring report published in 2025 highlights the progress made and focuses on strategic collaboration.
Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA)
Supporting alternative income-generating activities is important to fostering economic resilience and stability among households in the cocoa growing communities. During the season 2023/24, ECAMOM established 49 VSLA groups, of which around 70% of members are women.
Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System
ECAMOM is implementing a Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) to ensure social traceability and combat child labour in the cocoa supply chain. Through household visits and data collection involving 600 households in 2023/24, 16 child labour cases were identified – a reduction of approximately 63% compared to 2021/22. All cases were successfully remediated.
Polygon Mapping for Farm Management
Building on its environmental efforts, ECAMOM has also made significant strides in farm mapping for traceability and regulatory compliance. By the end of 2024, 49% of farms under the cooperative (1,864) have been polygon-mapped. This is a crucial step toward meeting the EUDR requirements and improving transparency across the cocoa supply chain.
Women's School of Leadership
The project aims to expand the Women’s Leadership School Programme within the cooperative to equip women with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to take on leadership roles. By encouraging more women to do so, we can bridge gender gaps and foster a more inclusive cocoa cooperative.
Find out more about the impact of our collaboration. The reports highlight the benefits and challanges for farming communities.
