Title: Diversification of income sources for cocoa farm households: a case study of the Central West of Côte d'Ivoire

Authors: Bi Goli Jean Jacques Iritié; Fabrice Soukou Djaléga

Addresses: Department of Management, Commerce and Applied Economics, National Polytechnic Institute Félix HOUPHOUET BOIGNY (INP-HB), B.P. 1093 Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire ' Institute for Marketecology (IMO), UTZ Certified, Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract: This paper is aimed at identifying complementary sources of income for cocoa farm households in the Central West of Côte d'Ivoire. Our methodology consists of four successive stages: 1) a need assessment of cocoa households and specificities of the study area through a participatory diagnosis in order to propose potential income generating activities; 2) a technical qualitative analysis of these activities; 3) an analysis of the profitability; 4) an analysis of their social acceptability. It appears that beekeeping and snail breeding is the most appropriate activities for this cocoa producing region. However, the results show that the lack of information and technical knowledge, the religious burdens and the high local illiteracy rate can constitute barriers to the implementation of IGAs. Finally, as future prospects, we discuss the opportunity to combine horizontal diversification and vertical diversification (especially cocoa processing) in order to give more added value to the sustainable cocoa production and to contribute to the industrial development of Ivorian economy.

Keywords: cocoa farms; farm households; vulnerability; income generating activities; IGAs; diversification; Côte d'Ivoire; Ivory Coast; complementary income sources; profitability; social acceptability; beekeeping; snail breeding; cocoa producing regions; information; technical knowledge; religion; illiteracy rate; barriers; cocoa processing; sustainability; added value; sustainable cocoa production; industrial development.

DOI: 10.1504/AJESD.2016.077412

African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.5 No.3, pp.230 - 265

Received: 27 Jul 2015
Accepted: 18 Jan 2016
Published online: 29 Jun 2016 *

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