Kuapa Kokoo

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Kuapa Kokoo is a cocoa farmers' cooperative organisation, established in Ghana in 1993. It was formed following the Ghanaian government's liberalisation of internal cocoa marketing in 1992, which, farmers feared, would lead to the entry of private companies into the market with whom they would be unable to compete. The organisation is often cited as a success story in the field of fair trade, its products being used in many Fairtrade-labelled products. It is the largest cooperative in Ghana, and counts 45,000 cocoa growers as members. they also get a bag for a bag which means they get more money. [1]

Cocoa produced by the Kuapa Kokoo farmers is made into chocolate by Divine Chocolate; the cooperative also holds 45% of Divine Chocolate's stock.[1][2]

[edit] Sub-groups

Kuapa Kukoo is comprised of the following sub-groups:

  • Kuapa Kokoo Farmers' Union (KKU)or (KKFU), which aims to empower small-scale cocoa producers, enhance female participation in the decision-making process, and encourage environmentally sustainable production.
  • Kuapa Kokoo Limited (KKL), the commercial trading wing of the Farmers' Union.
  • Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Trust (KKFT), a trust fund which receives fair trade premiums and other funds intended for farmers and their communities, and uses these for to provide social infrastructure and income generation for farmers.
  • Kuapa Kokoo Credit Union (KKCU), which promotes savings schemes and enables members to access credit at competitive rates.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Thinking out of the box", The Economist, The Economist Newspaper Ltd, 2007-04-07, pp. 65. Retrieved on 2007-04-07. 
  2. ^ "Not Just Heavenly, It's Divine", Sojourners Magazine, May 2007, pp. 30-35.