Behind the Numbers: Our Journey Measuring the Living Wage Estimates in Côte d'Ivoire
By Anker Research Institute
Referring to the 2023 report and 2024 update for Côte d'Ivoire
We at ARI have recently released a report on living wages and family living expenses for the Lagunes, Vallée du Bandama, and Lacs districts in Côte d'Ivoire, based on data collected in 2023 and updated for 2024 inflation. The study commissioned by Fairtrade International was conducted with great care and rigor by a team of local researchers led by Professor Yapo N’Guessan under the guidance of Martha and Richard Anker and Ian Prates of ARI . This comprehensive report not only provides a robust living wage estimate for these districts but also ensures its international comparability with living wage benchmarks in other banana-producing countries, offering a valuable reference for wage-setting and policy development across global supply chains.
Stakeholder Engagement Process
The local Ivorian team, ARI and Fairtrade team worked closely with local stakeholders throughout this process as has been their practice in numerous other ARI Living Wage benchmark projects elsewhere. The project involved several rounds of stakeholder meetings, allowing companies and unions to share any additional data they believed was relevant. We listened carefully and made adjustments to the report where needed, and provided detailed written feedback to companies explaining how their input and views were considered.
There were four key stakeholder meetings:
One in-person session in Abidjan with producers, unions, government representatives and academia before the fieldwork began.
A second in-person session in Abidjan with the same local stakeholders to present the first draft of the report and discuss the next steps.
Two conference calls to discuss comments and concerns of stakeholders, one with local unions and one with producers and their representatives.
Why This Work Matters
The agricultural minimum wage in Côte d’Ivoire is very low and living wages are essential for ensuring that workers can meet their basic needs, including food, housing, healthcare, and education. Also, inflation can quickly erode the purchasing power of wages, making it crucial to regularly update living wage figures to keep them relevant. International agreements and platforms like the World Banana Forum play a key role in advancing discussions and commitments toward fair wages across agricultural supply chains. The ARI benchmark estimate is intended to serve as a reference to inform wage setting and minimum wage policy.
“The ARI and Fairtrade applaud the decision of producers and unions in the banana sector to embark on a sector-level collective bargaining process”
Important Steps Are Made
The ARI and Fairtrade applaud the decision of producers and unions in the banana sector to embark on a sector-level collective bargaining process. Certainly, buyers and markets for banana from Côte d’Ivoire must recognize that the local banana sector is taking concrete steps to strengthen terms of employment and labour relations. In line with international principles of business & human rights, they ought to grant the sector ample opportunity to advance on its journey by supporting the sector with responsible purchasing practices.
Key Updates for June 2024
Living Wage for Workers: The net living wage (take-home pay) for workers rose from CFA 157,189 per month in 2023 to CFA 162,821 in 2024. This is the amount workers need to earn to cover their basic expenses.
Gross Living Wage: After factoring in mandatory taxes and deductions (like social security contributions), the gross living wage increased from CFA 174,497 in 2023 to CFA 181,306 in 2024.
Family Living Expenses: For a typical family of 5.5 people, the monthly cost of living has gone up from CFA 265,650 in 2023 to CFA 275,168 in 2024.
The work done by ARI continues to set the standard for living wage research, and the June 2024 update is another important step in improving the livelihoods of workers in Côte d'Ivoire.
If you'd like to learn more about the process or get additional insights into living wage research, feel free to reach out!
A special thank you to Wilbert Flinterman, Senior Advisor Workers' Rights and Trade Union Relations Fairtrade International for working with us to write this article.
For general inquiries about the Anker Research Institute’s work, contact: inquiries@ankerinstitute.org
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