Eliciting Cocoa Farmers’ Preferences toward sustainable agriculture: A Two-Step Choice Experiment Approach

The transition to sustainable agricultural production poses significant global challenges, particularly for farmers in the Global South. These farmers often face intertwined production and commercialization constraints, exacerbated by political and economic instability. Despite various efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, many farmers, including cocoa farmers, remain dependent on conventional agricultural practices and established trading systems. To better understand cocoa farmers' preferences and explore potential pathways for transition to sustainable agricultural practices, we conducted a two-stage choice experiment (CE) in two regions of Ecuador - the Coast and the Amazon. The CE was conducted before and after a deliberative workshop to assess farmers' preferences and to identify feasible options for change. The results indicate that cocoa farmers tend to prefer organic or natural production systems and place greater trust in recommendations coming from governmental entities. Farmers also show a clear preference for selling through intermediaries, which has a strong influence on commercialization channels. Moreover, farmers generally do not prefer to incorporate shade trees in their plots, partly due to the perceived disadvantages. These findings show that the socio-economic constraints faced by producers remain a central barrier to the adoption of more sustainable practices. Achieving a fair and meaningful transformation in the cocoa sector requires commitment at both individual and institutional levels across the entire supply chain. This includes not only adjustments on the production side in the Global South but also active engagement on the consumption side in the Global North. Such a shift calls for moving beyond the “warm-glow giving” that consumers experience when purchasing chocolate framed as ‘fair-traded’ or ‘environmentally friendly’. Instead, it demands tangible and sustained support directed to cocoa farmers, for whom sustainability is not a matter of preference but a condition for economic viability. Finally, transforming the sector requires stable and equitable conditions throughout the supply chain, supported by government actions that align with sustainable agricultural practices. These efforts should integrate both environmental, economic and social dimensions to ensure genuine and lasting change.