The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) has expressed concern over ongoing volatility in global cocoa prices, describing it as a major threat to the long-term sustainability of Africa’s cocoa industry.

In a statement issued on Wednesday ahead of the Cocoa & Coffee Fiesta Lagos 2026, scheduled for October 7 and 8, the Global President of COCEFAAA, Adeola Adegoke, said African cocoa farmers have continued to show resilience despite years of unstable market conditions that have affected income levels, productivity, and sectoral growth.

He noted that Africa remains the world’s leading cocoa-producing region, accounting for about 70 per cent of global output, yet many farmers still face unpredictable and often low returns on their investments.

According to him, constant fluctuations in cocoa prices have created uncertainty within the sector, discouraging investment and making long-term planning difficult for farmers.

“Market volatility remains a major threat to cocoa development across Africa. The constant fluctuations in prices have created uncertainty for farmers, discouraged investment and affected the long-term sustainability of the sector,” he said.

The association observed that major cocoa-producing countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria continue to play a critical role in global supply, but farmers in these regions often bear the impact of market shocks and unstable pricing.

COCEFAAA stressed that despite their importance to the global cocoa supply chain, many African farmers continue to struggle with unstable livelihoods due to external market forces beyond their control.

The group called for stronger collaboration between governments, industry stakeholders and development partners to protect farmers’ incomes and promote sustainable growth across the sector.

It explained that the upcoming Cocoa & Coffee Fiesta would provide a platform for discussions on key issues affecting the cocoa and coffee industries, including price instability, market access, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.

According to the association, key focus areas at the event will include farmer income frameworks, de-commoditisation strategies, agroforestry expansion, carbon credit opportunities, integrated soil management, and compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation.

Adegoke said the event would also highlight Africa’s commitment to strengthening the cocoa and coffee value chains, while showcasing Nigeria’s efforts to revive coffee production through the Nigeria Coffee Revival Initiative.

He added that public-private partnerships and integrated soil management strategies aimed at boosting cocoa productivity would play a key role in expanding Nigeria’s export base, creating jobs, increasing foreign exchange earnings, and improving rural livelihoods.

He further stated that stakeholders from across Africa and beyond are expected to attend the event, including global partners in the cocoa and coffee industries.

According to him, Africa’s continued resilience in sustaining cocoa and coffee production despite years of price instability underscores the need for stronger regional cooperation among producing countries.

COCEFAAA maintained that African nations must adopt a unified approach to protect the interests of farmers and strengthen the entire value chain, adding that regional collaboration is essential to building more stable and sustainable agricultural systems.

The association also announced that the event will mark the official launch of COCEFAAA as the first pan-African membership organisation dedicated to cocoa and coffee farmers.

Its mission, it said, is to amplify farmers’ voices, promote sustainable production practices, advocate fair pricing, improve market access, empower women and youth, and strengthen climate resilience in cocoa and coffee-growing communities.

Participants expected at the Fiesta include farmers, processors, exporters, researchers, policymakers, investors, development partners, and international industry stakeholders from across Africa and other regions.