DUBBLE

A small group of cocoa farmers in Ghana West Africa realised that by working together they could improve their lives. They knew that by joining up they had more chance of getting a fairer dealFarmers realised they could get a better price for their cocoa by selling together rather than as individuals. Working as a co-operative means that farmers can pool their cocoa and get a higher price. from the people who bought their cocoa.

So in 1993 the group shared their resources and set up their own co-operative business called ‘Kuapa Kokoo’ Kuapa Kokoo means ‘good cocoa farmers’ in the farmers’ local language of Twi. Working together as a co-operative, cocoa farmers have more negotiating power with the big chocolate companies who are always trying to lower the price they pay for cocoa beans.

Kuapa Kokoo is a co-operative business A co-operative is a business owned and run by its members, in this case cocoa farmers. Decisions are based on how the co-operative’s resources can best be used to improve the lives of each family and the community as a whole. Many people think that co-operatives are a good solution to world poverty because they help farmers in developing countries to work together, giving them the strength to compete in the world market. and there are lots of benefits to being a member.

• Farmers get paid fairly and promptly.
• There is a Credit Union that farmers can borrow money from.
• Recorders are elected and trusted.
• Farmers gets bonuses if the co-operative does well.
• Farmers get training on how to improve their farming practices.

Comic Relief supported Kuapa Kokoo’s business development so that even more cocoa farmers From 2000 farmers in 200 villages to begin with, now Kuapa Kokoo now has over 45 000 farmers in over 1200 villages – wow! had the chance of a brighter future.

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