Behavioural and institutional drivers of traceability system adoption in the Ghanaian cocoa supply chain

Abstract

Concerns regarding food safety and supply chain sustainability in the global food system have heightened the need for effective traceability systems in agrifood supply chains. Notwithstanding regulatory and market pressure for traceable commodities, the adoption remains uneven, especially in the Global South supply chains. The cocoa sector faces challenges in ensuring complete traceability of cocoa beans from individual farmers’ farms to export markets, which threatens the credibility and sustainability of certification schemes and supply chain transparency. Consequently, research on traceability in the cocoa supply chain remains appropriate and crucial. For these reasons, this study examined the adoption of traceability in Ghana’s cocoa supply chain. A multistage sampling approach was used to sample 250 cocoa-purchasing clerks (PCs) for this study. The data was analysed using binary probit and Heckman two-stage regression. The results revealed that age, education, the quantity of cocoa beans aggregated, the sales outlet used, being a hired buyer, perception, and adherence to child labour rules determine the adoption of traceability. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors, market dynamics, perceptions, premiums, bonuses, and child labour had heterogeneous effects on willingness and eagerness to adopt traceability. The results highlight the crucial role of motivational and institutional drivers in shaping a robust traceability implementation in the cocoa supply chains.