African cocoa and coffee farmers are warning that a booming global market is leaving them behind, as rising prices for chocolate and coffee fail to translate into better incomes at the farm gate.

The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa says producers across West, East, and Central Africa are trapped in a system where they absorb the risks of global price swings while capturing only a fraction of the value created along the supply chain.

Industry forecasts point to robust expansion. The cocoa and chocolate market is projected to climb from about 169 billion dollars in 2025 to nearly 246 billion dollars by 2031, driven by surging demand for premium and dark chocolate in Europe and fast-growing Asian markets. The global coffee market is expected to grow from roughly 284 billion dollars to around 486 billion dollars by 2035, fuelled by premium brands and ready-to-drink products.

Yet, according to COCEFAAA’s global president, Adeola Adegoke, these headline figures conceal a deepening crisis in rural communities. Smallholder farmers, who produce most of Africa’s cocoa and coffee, are increasingly selling at prices that barely cover production costs. Many report cutting back on fertiliser, labour, and improved seedlings, undermining productivity and long-term sustainability.

The social toll is mounting. In several producing regions, families are withdrawing children from school, postponing medical care, and taking on high-interest debt to survive periods of low prices. COCEFAAA describes farmers as “economic shock absorbers” who shoulder losses when markets fall and see limited gains when they rise.

Climate change is intensifying the pressure. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall are reducing yields in traditional growing zones, forcing some farmers to move to higher altitudes or abandon cocoa and coffee altogether. The shift toward more heat-tolerant varieties, such as Fine Robusta coffee, could offer new opportunities, but only if farmers receive investment, training, and access to resilient planting materials.

COCEFAAA is calling for structural reforms to prevent future supply shocks. It wants greater funding for agricultural research into drought- and pest-resistant varieties, stronger investment in local processing to keep more value in Africa, and coordinated regional policies to boost the bargaining power of producing countries.

The alliance is also urging global buyers to sign long-term contracts that guarantee stable, livable incomes and to support climate adaptation on the ground. Without such changes, it warns, the world’s appetite for cocoa and coffee may be impossible to satisfy, as the farmers who sustain the industry are pushed out of business.