Kuapa Kokoo

• What is Fairtrade?

• How has the Fairtrade premiums been used?

• What makes Kuapa Kokoo different from other LBCs in Ghana?

• How is Kuapa Kokoo Organised?

• what is the relationship between Kuapa Kokoo and Divine Chocolate?

• What is Kuapa Kokoo doing to ensure environmental conservation?

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade and it is based on partnership between producers and consumers. The movement advocates for the payment of a fair price to producers.

Fairtrade products provide a guarantee that producers receive a fair price covering the cost of production, and an extra premium which is invested in social or economic development projects such as schools, clean water supply, or investment back into their business.

A fair price is one that allows farmers to feed and shelter their families, educate their children etc.

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How has the Fairtrade premiums been used?

The Fairtrade premium Kuapa Kokoo receives has been invested in various social and economic projects to better the lot the members. Click here to read more about Kuapa Kokoo FT premium projects.

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What makes Kuapa Kokoo different from other LBCs in Ghana?

Kuapa Kokoo is an organisation that is owned by farmers. It is the only Fairtrade certified cocoa cooperative in Ghana. One thing that sets Kuapa Kokoo apart in the cocoa sector is that farmers are put at the heart of the organisation. Farmers sit on the boards of the composite organisation and make decisions.

Kuapa Kokoo is also very democratic. Elections are held every four years to elect executives at the society level, district level and the national level. Recorders (Purchasing clerks in other LBCs) are farmers and are elected by the members of the society to weigh their cocoa on their behalf. This helps to eliminate all forms of cheating.

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How is Kuapa Kokoo Organised?

Kuapa Kokoo is organised at three levels namely the society/village level, district/area level and the national level. Click here to read more on KKFU.

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What is the relationship between Kuapa Kokoo and Divine Chocolate?

Kuapa Kokoo is the proud owner of 45% shares in Divine Chocolate Ltd. This means that Kuapa Kokoo shares in Divine’s profit. Kuapa Kokoo also has two places on the Board so it can exercise its influence over how Divine is developed.

Kuapa Kokoo sells cocoa beans to Divine Chocolate Ltd at the guaranteed minimum Fairtrade price of $1600 per tonne and also receives an additional premium of $150 per tonne, which the cooperative invests in various projects to improve the farmers' living standard, health status and education levels, and farming productivity.  A percentage of the price of Divine goes towards 'producer support and development', which is spent on farmer education, and helping to maintain the values and vision of the cooperative.

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What is Kuapa Kokoo doing to ensure environmental conservation?

Kuapa Kokoo is working with some local NGOs to find ways to adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change. The cooperative has identified new and old production practices that can help members adapt to climatic change.

Members have planted more shade trees on the farms in order to improve moisture conservation and increase biodiversity. Such tree planting projects are a ‘carbon sink’ and can therefore potentially attract payments from carbon offsetting schemes, which can help fund these important adaptation initiatives and even generate additional income for farmers.

Members have also been advised not to burn the bushes after clearing them and also to plant trees along the banks of streams.  This provides shade for the streams and prevents them from drying up.

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