In 2025, domestic coffee consumption in the Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) is projected to reach about 1.38 million kilograms, generating an estimated US $32.13 million in total revenue across both at-home and out-of-home markets.
While those numbers point to a growing domestic interest in coffee, they come against a backdrop of steep decline in the country’s coffee production — raising concerns about supply, quality and long-term sustainability.
Côte d’Ivoire once stood among Africa’s leading coffee producers: in the early 2000s the country produced nearly 380,000 tonnes of coffee.
By 2023, output had fallen to just under 47,000 tonnes. This long-term drop is driven by several structural issues: ageing coffee tree plantations, low yield per hectare, climate change and soil degradation, limited access to finance for smallholders, and competition from other crops (such as cocoa or cashew) that may offer higher returns or easier cultivation.
Put simply: demand (domestic consumption) is growing, but supply (production) is weak and on many fronts deteriorating — a mismatch that poses risks not just for the economy but also for livelihoods in rural areas.
In the western region of Gnamagnoa, farmer François Dadi Serikpa, who once worked as a bus driver, now finds new meaning and income in coffee farming. He is father to twelve children and grandfather to twenty-one grandchildren. Through the Nescafé Plan by Nestlé, he received agronomic training on how to care for soil, replant with new varieties, manage his fields sustainably — and as a result, his trees are more resilient and his production has improved.
Serikpa says:
“With the Nescafé Plan, Nestlé agronomists taught us how to care for our soil, plant new varieties and better manage our plantations. Now my trees are more resistant, and my production has improved. Coffee is our life: it feeds us, clothes us and gives us hope for the future.”
His experience reflects a broader reality: thousands of rural households depend on coffee for sustenance, income and hope.
Nestlé’s Nescafé Plan is a global initiative designed to improve coffee farming — from the field to the cup — by ensuring sustainable practices, improving yields, building resilience and supporting farmers and communities.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the program uses several levers: distribution of high-yielding coffee seedlings, training of agronomists and farmers, application of standard frameworks (such as the Common Code for the Coffee Community, 4C standards), and cooperation with local institutions: the Coffee‑Cocoa Council (CCC) and the National Centre for Agricultural Research (Côte d’Ivoire) (CNRA).
Specific achievements include:
- Distribution of over 5.9 million high-yield, disease-resistant coffee plantlets in Côte d’Ivoire since about 2012.
- Training of farmers and cooperatives: More than 21,220 coffee-growing farmers trained in good agricultural practices in Côte d’Ivoire by 2016.
- Establishment of seedbeds and nurseries: 30 Nescafé Plan seedbeds & nurseries, working with 35 cooperatives, have been noted.
- Pilot programmes (under the Nescafé Plan 2030) to test regenerative-agriculture schemes: in Côte d’Ivoire around 3,000 farmers were engaged, with conditional cash-incentives and weather-insurance schemes to help manage climate risk.
Beyond the farm, Nestlé’s interventions stretch into processing and urban enterprise:
- The Nescafé factory in Abidjan has been operating for over 65 years, processing locally grown beans and employing hundreds of Ivorians — a key example of local value-addition.
- The “My Own Business” programme supports more than 600 urban hot-coffee vendors by providing carts, training, equipment and business network support. In Greater Abidjan, entrepreneur Kamenan Assanvo owns 45 coffee-stands; in the current year, there are 80 coffee-stands run by young vendors supported through the initiative.
These programs are not simply about increasing production: they are framed as inclusive development efforts. For farmers, better yields translate into higher income and improved livelihoods; for young people in cities, urban entrepreneurship opens new business channels. Nestlé’s local presence over decades underscores a long-term commitment to the country’s coffee ecosystem.
Domestic consumption reaching 1.38 million kg and generating $32.13 million implies that Ivorian consumers are increasingly shifting toward coffee — both in households and outside (cafés, street-stands and other out-of-home settings).
This growth in the domestic market is significant: while the country once focused heavily on export, a rising local market offers diversification and resilience.
Nevertheless, with yields still low (some reports show averages of 300-350 kg per hectare in many farms) and aging tree stock, supply remains under serious pressure
If the local production base cannot meet expanding domestic (and potential export) demand, the country risks higher dependence on imports, lower margins for farmers or reduced quality of supply.
Processing locally (instant coffee manufacturing, vendor networks, coffee stands) means more value stays in-country rather than simply exporting raw beans. The involvement of local entrepreneurs and a local workforce in the value chain strengthens economic impact beyond just farming.
Climate change, soil degradation and the ageing of plantations are not just short-term glitches — they represent structural risks. The success of interventions (high-yield seedlings, regenerative agriculture, training) will determine whether Côte d’Ivoire can rebuild its coffee production sustainably.
- Rejuvenation of Plantations: Will the programs succeed in significantly raising average yields (from 300-350 kg/ha toward 600-1200 kg/ha, as some farmers report under improved conditions)?
- Domestic Market Growth vs Export Potential: With domestic consumption growing, there may be strategic decisions to meet local demand first or export surplus. The balance will shape revenue, pricing and farmer incentives.
- Quality and Standard Compliance: As standards like the 4C code become more widespread, traceability and sustainable certification may open premium markets — but also require investment and coordination.
- Climate Resilience & Regenerative Practices: Pilot projects under Nescafé Plan 2030 focus on regenerative agriculture and climate mitigation. The scalability of these pilots will be decisive.
- Youth & Urban Enterprise Integration: Supporting urban vendors and local processing strengthens the entire ecosystem from farm to consumer; the growth of coffee-stands and street entrepreneurship adds resilience.
- Policy & Institutional Support: Government frameworks, research centres (CNRA), and the Coffee-Cocoa Council (CCC) will play a central role in investment, credit access, and regulation. Private-public coordination will be vital.
Côte d’Ivoire’s coffee sector is at a pivotal moment: domestic consumption is rising, creating new revenue streams and opportunities. At the same time, the production base is under strain — ageing farms, climate risk and low yields threaten supply. The efforts under the Nescafé Plan and local partnerships offer a credible pathway toward rebuilding the industry — but their success cannot be taken for granted. If yields and quality improve, and value remains in-country, coffee could once again become a meaningful engine of rural livelihoods, urban enterprise and industrial growth.
For stakeholders — farmers, policy-makers, processors, and investors — the message is clear: align demand growth with supply revitalisation, embed sustainability at every stage, and capture more value locally.
