Wageningen University and Research Centre –The Netherlands Communication and Innovations Studies Group MSc. Thesis (COM 80424) Whose frame counts? A framing perspective to understanding the complexity of child labour in cocoa farming and the interventions to eliminate child labour in cocoa farming in Ghana. A case study of the Wassa Amenfi West District of the west region of Ghana. July 2012 Written by Robert Obenyah Supervisor: Prof. Cees Leeuwis, Communication and Innovations Studies Group- Wageningen University and Research Centre. Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 0 Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 9 1.2 Background: Cocoa farming and child labour in Ghana .................................................................... 10 1.3 Organization of thesis chapters ........................................................................................................ 11 1.4 Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2: Literature review and conceptual frame work ......................................................................... 14 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 14 2.2 Literature review on the issues of child labour ................................................................................ 14 2.3 Conceptual framework ..................................................................................................................... 16 2.3.1 Frames and framing perspective ............................................................................................... 16 2.3.2 The Concept of Autopoiesis and Social Change ......................................................................... 17 2.3.3 Complexity theory and Social change ........................................................................................ 18 2.4 Problem statement ........................................................................................................................... 19 2.5 Research Question ............................................................................................................................ 20 2.6 Research objectives .......................................................................................................................... 21 2.7 The relevance of the study ............................................................................................................... 21 2.8 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Chapter 3: Research methodology ............................................................................................................. 23 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 23 3.2 The area of study .............................................................................................................................. 23 3.3 Research Design ................................................................................................................................ 24 1 | P a g e 3.4 Data collection .................................................................................................................................. 26 3.4.1 Interviews ................................................................................................................................... 26 3.4.2 Observations .............................................................................................................................. 26 3.4.3 Document search ....................................................................................................................... 27 3.5 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 27 3.6 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 4: Cocoa farming in the Wassa Amenfi West District ................................................................... 29 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 29 4.2 The relevance of cocoa farming in the district ................................................................................. 29 4.3 Farm preparations, planting and maintenance ................................................................................ 30 4.3.1 Cocoa harvesting and processing ............................................................................................... 30 4.4 Cocoa farmers’ perception and handling of farming related dangers/harm ................................... 32 4.5 Land tenure and cocoa farm ownership ........................................................................................... 32 4.6 Organization of labour ...................................................................................................................... 33 4.7 Farm maintenance by caretakers ..................................................................................................... 35 4.8 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Chapter 5: Framing of child labour in cocoa production ............................................................................ 37 5.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 37 5.2 Framing by NGO officials as a problem of farmers’ ignorance ......................................................... 37 5.3 Cocoa farmers’ framing of on child labour as an essential socialization process ............................. 39 5.4 The fluidity of child labour frames by both NGO officials and farmers ............................................ 41 5.5 Framing of child labour in cocoa farming by national officials in as a threat to cocoa trade and national reputation ................................................................................................................................. 42 5.6 Divergent framing of child labour in cocoa farming by the district officials as a problem of many causes ...................................................................................................................................................... 43 5.7 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 45 2 | P a g e Chapter 6: Interventions to eliminate child labour in cocoa farming ......................................................... 47 6.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 47 6.2 The interventions strategies to eliminate child labour in cocoa farming ......................................... 47 6.2.1 Campaign activities to sensitize cocoa farmers on child labour ................................................ 47 6.2.1.6 Stakeholders’ views on the effectiveness of sensitization campaign ..................................... 52 6.2.2 Rewarding and encouraging compliance ................................................................................... 56 6.2.3 Supporting Law enforcement to deter non-compliance ........................................................... 58 6.3 Farmers’ general response to the interventions .............................................................................. 61 6.3.1 Full compliance to the interventions ......................................................................................... 63 6.3.2 Partial compliance to interventions ........................................................................................... 64 6.3.3 Non-compliant farmers to child labour elimination interventions ............................................ 65 6.4 Perceived Impact of the interventions ............................................................................................. 66 6.4.1 Perceived positive impacts of the interventions ....................................................................... 66 6.4.2 Perceived unintended negative consequences of interventions ............................................... 68 6.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................