To increase the representation of cocoa farmers at all levels of decision-making in the cocoa sector, smallholder cocoa farmers in nine cocoa-growing regions in Ghana have come under one umbrella to establish the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association.
The move is to enable them gain a stronger voice to consolidate their efforts and creating an effective advocacy organization at the community, national, and international levels.
Prior to this, cocoa farmers were unable to effectively engage at different decision-making levels within the cocoa value chain even though they had several unions.
This, according to the farmers, was due to their fragmented and uncoordinated nature.
The newly formed umbrella organization aims to advocate for the broader cocoa-producing community, with a focus on stable prices, government interventions and services, land rights and living incomes for cocoa producers.
The Association, facilitated by Solidaridad as part of its effort to amplify the voices of cocoa farmers, comprises 75 cooperative unions.
The Association was created through the RECLAIM Sustainability! programme, in collaboration with the Department of Cooperatives and partner organizations, including the World Cocoa Farmers Organisation (WCFO) and Agriterra.
“The formation of this apex body marks the beginning of a new era for cooperatives in the cocoa sector. It is a significant step towards building an inclusive and sustainable cocoa value chain where farmers’ interests, voices, and rights are represented and heard in decision-making at all levels,” says Seth Kankam Nuamah, Programme Manager for the RECLAIM Sustainability! programme in West Africa.
The establishment of the Association comes after a series of extensive training workshops on leadership and governance and stakeholder engagements at different levels.
Issifu Issaka, the Association’s President, emphasized its role as a voice for cocoa farmers to advocate for their own welfare, address challenges, and improve livelihoods through collaboration with stakeholders. He pledged his commitment to ensure the success of the association.