This organization was born in April 1993, as a result of the union of 50 cacao production cooperatives established around Kumasi - the second most important city of Ghana. These cooperatives have a high participation and each one must be provided by its own accountant and a person in charge of the product. The products are exported by a second ranking organizationand and the base cooperatives reinvest the price paid in the construction of housing, in education and in the maintenance of their culture.
Kuapa Kokoo was born in response of the deregulation of cacao's market, announced by the government in 1992. Iate Nana Frimpong Abebrese was the board of directors' representative for the ‘Cocoa Marketing Board’ - entity responsible for the sales' negotiation before the deregulation. The company knew what would happened to the farmers after the deregulation and the entrance of private companies into the cocoa international trade. Moreover, they were awared of the importance of peasants to organize themselves and participate actively in the cocoa trade, for which an organization was establish with the assistance of Twin (London).
From the beginning on, the turnover of Fair Trade cocoa sales has increased from 50 tons during the 1993/94 harvest up to 650 tons during the 2001/02 harvest.
Kuapa Kokoo is currently composed of a variety of organizations which are gathered into 5 leading groups:
• Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union (KKU)
• Kuapa Kokoo Limited (KKL) and
• Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Trust (KKFT)
• Kuapa Kokoo Credit Union (KKCU)
• Day Chocolate Company– London( DCC)
Kuapa collaborates with Fair Trade organizations since 1993 and thanks to that, farmers are able to operate independently and, at the same time, they have been given tools in order to decided about their own development.
The Kuapa Kokoo farmers obtain the following profits:
- a better business is assured to the farmers - growers and small producers- from Ghana.
- it allows people to make a living from their skills and work.
- producers receive a fair price for their job, which could even be higher than that approved by the government.
- it provides farmers with education and information about the international market.
- it provides social commodities which are used for the community's development infrastructure, as schools, access to drinkable water, etc.
Commodity/Bonus of Fair Trade
KKFT (Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Trust) receives all its bonus from Fair Trade. The Foundation is administrated by a committee responsible for checking that the usage of the funds is a profit for the farmer's community. Until today, this organization has financed a total of 209 projects in Ghana. 147 of this amount have been designed to facilitate the access to drinkable water in all regions. Two of them have been carried on to generate incomes and increase the self-sufficiency -for example, a project to produce and sell soap. As other examples of the important results of the work carried out by KKFT, we stand out 27 corn mills, 4 schools, a bridge, 3 vehicles for the Development Department which facillitate the access to base societies for their formation. In short, Fair Trade contributes to improve the conditions of the farmers and their families.
For more information, please feel free to visit its website: http://www.kuapakokoogh.com/
Products: instant cocoa, chocolate, cocoa spread