1. The Fairtrade News
Ghana
Divine Chocolate
Kuapa Kokoo
Where is Ghana? How is Cocoa Made?
Ghana is a small country 1- Cocoa pods are carefully cut off of Cocoa trees
located on the western
2- The pods are opened
coast of africa. It’s main
exports are Cocoa and 3- The beans are left to ferment in the sun wrapped in
Gold both of which it has
Plantain leaves, this step is essential to develop the beans
plenty of...It is bordered
“Flavor”
by Cote d’ivoire to the
West and Burkina Faso to 4- Then the beans are spread onto a large table to dryn.
the East. Unfortunatelly
5- The beans are then shipped off and roasted in a different
Ghana was listed in the nam dolor ipsum:
facility at between 120 and 149 degrees Celcius
top ten worst economically Litterarum formas human 2
maneged countries in the 6- Then the beans are crushed then per seacula quart a wind2
itatis blown through
world, a high percentage a decima et quinta deci 3
tunnel, this process seperates the shells and nibs.
of local Ghanan’s live ma. Per seacula quarta 4
under the poverty line.
7- the nibs are ground up into “cocoa mass” a rich liquid
This is widelly due to the composing 55-60% made of cocoa butter.
lorem ipsum dolor met set
fact that Ghanan Cocoa
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8- The cocoa mass is pressurised until it seperates into cocoa
farmers often end up
2007 butter and cocoa powder (used in chocolate drinks)
selling their cocoa to
9- Cocoa mass and butter are mixed along with other
major companies for
ingredients, cooled, and shaped into chocolate bars
appalingly small sums of
money.
2. The Fairtrade News
What can you do as a consumer?
Now that you know all about the issues of unfair trade and
Cocoa in Ghana...how can you help. Well...next time your at
your favorite super market and you buy a choclate look for a
bar with a fair trade logo (as shown on the front page) For
more information go to the next page.
How is the trading chain
What is the Cocoa trading Chain?
unfair to farmers?
If you look at the amount of Farmers: 13 cents / Pound of Cocoa
money the Ghanan cocoa • grow and care for the cocoa trees for three to five
farmer makes Vs. The
years
amount of work he is
actually doing, you can see • harvest the cocoa pods in very hot temperatures
just how unfair the current • remove the beans from the pods
Cocoa Trading Chain is. It is • ferment the beans for six days and dry them for ten
Important to note that many days
of the jobs with higher
incomes are done in
developed countries that are Cocoa buyers: 11 cents / Pound of Cocoa
already very wealthy. • weigh the sacks of beans
Another incresing issue is the • pay the farmer for the beans
use of subsities. A subsitie is
• arrange to take the beans to the port.
a garentied price give by the
government. If that farmer nam dolor ipsum:
sells his produce for any less Importers: 22 cents / Pound of Cocoa
than that price then the Litterarum formas human
• arrange transport for the beans from Ghana to the 2
goverment will give him the
UK and Ireland itatis per seacula quart 2
extra money...Unfortuatelly,
farmers in many developed • turn the beans into cocoa solids and cocoa butter.3
a decima et quinta deci
countries are using subsities
ma. Per seacula quarta 4
as an excuse o sell their Chocolate companies: 44 cents / Pound of Cocoa
products at lower costs,
• buy the cocoa solids and cocoa butter
because the government will
pay them a steady price • buy the other ingredients
anyways. Farmers in Ghana
lorem ipsum dolor met set • make the chocolate bars
are forced to match these • pay for the chocolate bar wrappers
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prices in order to make a
2007 • pay for advertising the chocolate bars.
sale, the difference is without
govrnment subsities, they
have no other source of Shops: 24 cents / Pound of Chocolate
income and will fall into • buy the chocolate bars from the chocolate
poverty. companies
• sell the chocolate bars to shoppers.
3. The Fairtrade News
Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative
Kuapa Kokoo is a cooperative of Ghanan Farmers who
fight for a better price on local Cocoa. They work in
colaboration with Divine Chocolates work to improve the
social, economic and political wellbeing of there
members. They produce most free trade chocolate in the
country. They are a perfect example of a fair trade Co.
History and Goals Interview with a Farmer...
Elis Mohammed - “After the liberalization of the cocoa
Kuapa Kookoo was fist
establised in 1993. sector in Ghana, many companies sprang up. I sold my
Kuapa Kokoo’s goal is cocoa to some of them and realized they were no
to develop itself into a different from the government company we dealt with in
formidable farmer-
the past. A friend of mine from the Sefwi area visited me
based organisation
capable of mobilising one day in my village and told about Kuapa Kokoo and
quality cocoa products, the fact that it is owned by farmers. It was the first time I
improving the livelihood was hearing something like that! I quickly informed
of members and
some of my friends in my village and we went to the
satisfying customers.
After all, the sentance Kuapa office to request that a society be opened for us.
Kuapa Kokoo really
means “good Farmers”. Kuapa Kokoo is about the best thing that has happened
They strive to be a to Bayerebon No.3 in the last ten years. Ouripsum:
nam dolor dilapidated
transparent, primary school building was pulled down about seven
Democratic, commited Litterarum formas human 2
years ago and a new six classroom block with a library,
cooperative, who care itatis per seacula quart 2
for the community. They head teacher’s office and store constructed for our
a decima et quinta deci 3
seek to empower wards. Not long ago, another three classroom block to
Ghanan Cocoa farmers ma. Per seacula quarta
house the Junior High School was also put up by Kuapa 4
and encourage
Kokoo. This school now serves six other communities
environmentally
sustainable Cocoa nearby. It has well over 600 pupils with 16 teachers.
production in Ghana.
lorem ipsum dolor met set Bayerebon No.3 has no electricity and therefore it is very
There are certain
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standards a farmer difficult to get kids to learn in the evenings. Through the
2007
must reach in order to efforts of Kuapa Kokoo, Miss Karen Bridges a teacher
become a member of
from the UK came to live with us for over two years. She
Kuapa Kokoo, for
example, you must not helped us buy a generator for the school which we are
use children on your still using to this day” Quote from Elis Mohammed.
farm
4. Wrapping Up...
In conclussion, Ghana...is a perfect example of the Fair Trade mentality put to use. Next
Time you go to the store make sure that chocolate bar you buy has one of these
on it, that means its a fair trade chocolate bar. Go fair trade because it will immediatelly
have a possitive effect on a Ghanan farmers life Socially, Politically and Economically in
ways you could only begin to imagine.
A proud supporter of Kuapa Kokoo Fair Trade Chocolate
Fair Trade Approved