The cocoa industry, primarily based in West Africa, has a dark underbelly: child labor. Children, some as young as five, are often forced to work long hours in hazardous conditions on cocoa farms. These children are subjected to dangerous tasks like using machetes and spraying pesticides, and they are often deprived of education and proper nutrition. While efforts are being made to combat this issue through certification and fair trade practices, the problem persists due to complex factors like poverty, lack of access to education, and weak law enforcement.
