Vybrané ekonomické aspekty zapojení Afriky do obchodu s kakaem

Abstract

The aim of this bachelor's thesis is to evaluate Africa's involvement in the cocoa trade and to analyze the importance of cocoa beans for exports and the economy using the example of four selected African countries. The thesis is divided into three structured chapters. The first two chapters are based on relevant professional literature research. The third chapter uses data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Bank (WITS), and the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO). The first structured chapter deals with the history and expansion of cocoa beans, the largest cocoa producers and chocolate manufacturers, and the determinants of global cocoa prices. The following chapter focuses on the definition of developing countries and the importance of agriculture for their economies, the basic mechanisms of the cocoa trade, and ethical trading practices. The analytical part of the thesis evaluates the development of cocoa bean exports from Africa over a monitored period of 29 years. In line with the main objective of the thesis, a research hypothesis is established, aiming to verify the assumption that African countries involved in cocoa production demonstrate a comparative advantage in exporting this commodity. This hypothesis was empirically tested using the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) formula. The results of the analysis confirmed that the main cocoa-producing countries in Africa show a comparative advantage in exporting this commodity, which supports the validity of the initial hypothesis and the overall aim of the thesis.