This poverty drives issues like deforestation, as farmers seek new land, and child labour, with children working in the fields because hired help is unaffordable.
In the past, efforts to improve farmer livelihoods have focused almost exclusively on field-level interventions such as productivity. While helpful, these initiatives alone cannot lift farmers out of poverty. Recognising the need for deeper, systemic change, IDH has championed a shift toward sustainable procurement practices—ensuring farmers earn stable and higher incomes through fair pricing, long-term contracts, and diversified income opportunities.
Putting procurement at the heart of change
IDH’s convening work is pivotal to embedding sustainable procurement into industry norms. Platforms like Beyond Chocolate in Belgium and DISCO (Dutch Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa) in the Netherlands serve as engines for collaboration, aligning stakeholders around shared goals and driving accountability.
In 2024, IDH amplified the sustainable procurement agenda with a statement on sustainable procurement by the National Initiatives on sustainable cocoa (ISCOs)at the World Cocoa Conference and the launch of a procurement position paper by DISCO. These efforts have placed sustainable procurement firmly on the radar of industry leaders, fostering a shared ambition to create meaningful impact.
Collaborative Action Delivers Results
Setting high ambitions through its convening work, IDH has additionally forged one-to-one partnerships with private sector partners to pilot and scale impactful living income models. By gathering data and providing actionable guidance, IDH equips companies with the tools to embed successful models in their supply chains.