KIT Institute will take part in the main programme of Chocoa and Amsterdam Cocoa Week 2026, contributing to key discussions on scaling sustainability, labour challenges and advancing impactful approaches in the cocoa sector.

Partner session & Elucid event

19 February (Day 1)

The Cocoa Household Income Study (CHIS) approach in action

On 19 February, KIT Institute is organising a partner event during ACW titled: “The Cocoa Household Income Study (CHIS) approach in action: ways forward for closing the Living Income gap”

• Time: 16:30–18:00
• Location: Beurs van Berlage, Room 2

The session will share practical lessons from organisations applying the CHIS methodology, discuss the business case for its use, and explore how to move from data to action in closing the living income gap.

The discussion will be moderated by our colleague Selma van der Haar, with contributions from:

• Valerie Janssen, Wageningen University & Research
• Tendai Jonhasi, NewForesight
• Nicoletta Lumaldo, SWISSCO

This session is organised by KIT Institute, Wageningen University & Research, NewForesight, WCF, SWISSCO, and GIZ and is by invitation only.

Measuring What Matters (and Questioning the Rest)

We will also be participating in Elucid’s social club event “Measuring What Matters (and Questioning the Rest)” running in parallel. This event explores how we measure social impact in supply chains today and where current approaches fall short. While impact measurement shapes decisions, funding, and narratives through indicators, scores, and benchmarks, the question arises: are we measuring what truly improves farmers’ lives, or mainly what is easiest to count and report?

Impact Economics Team Lead Rob Kuijpers will present, while advisors Heloise Widdig and Harry Coleman will participate in breakout discussions — exploring how health and health measurement fit within cocoa supply chains, and their role in farmer wellbeing, productivity, and resilience.

• Time: 16:30 – 18:30
• Location: Beurs van Berlage, Room: Verwey Kamer 

Register here: https://lnkd.in/eHrVMw4V

Chocoa Conference

20 February (Day 2)

KIT Institute colleagues will moderate two sessions in Chocoa’s Conference.

Session 4.3: Addressing labour challenges

• Time: 09:00–10:15
• Location: Beurs van Berlage, Room 1

The cocoa sector faces a range of labour challenges, including labour shortages, low returns on investment, and labour conditions. This session will explore new initiatives that aim to professionalise labour and reduce the labour burden within cocoa-producing households.

Moderator: Anna Laven, Associate at KIT Institute and Programme Director of Chocoa

Speakers:

• Emily Balls & Edith Tea, Tony’s Open Chain

• Michael Cooke, VisionSpring

• Charles Tellier, So-B-Green
  

Session 5.3: Pathways for moving from pilots to scale

• Time: 10:45–12:00
• Location: Beurs van Berlage, Room 1

This session will examine how sustainability initiatives evolve from pilot projects to large-scale programmes, highlighting both expected and unexpected barriers along the way.

• Moderator: Oumou Diallo, Senior Advisor at KIT Institute
• Speakers:
  • Els Lindeboom, ETG | Beyond Beans
  • Darrell High, Nestlé
  • Vidhya Sriram, CARE
  • Linda Klunder, Kumasi Drinks

Speakers will share evidence and practical experience from programmes that have scaled to reach tens of thousands of people.

Through its longstanding partnerships and research-driven approach, KIT Institute continues to support the cocoa sector in advancing more sustainable and human-centred pathways.