Kuapa Kokoo facts for kids

Kuapa Kokoo is a special group of cocoa farmers in Ghana, Africa. This organization is certified as Fairtrade. This means they follow rules that help farmers get a fair price for their cocoa.

The group started in 1993. It was created by cocoa farmers in Ghana. They got help from other organizations like Twin Trading, Christian Aid, and The Body Shop. Kuapa Kokoo is based in Ghana. As of 2025, they have over 100,000 farmers who are members.

What is Kuapa Kokoo?

Kuapa Kokoo is a farmers' cooperative. A cooperative is a group of people who work together. They share resources and make decisions together. For Kuapa Kokoo, this means cocoa farmers join forces. They sell their cocoa beans as a group. This gives them more power in the market.

How Kuapa Kokoo Started

Before Kuapa Kokoo, many cocoa farmers faced challenges. They often did not get fair prices for their crops. In 1993, some farmers decided to change this. They formed Kuapa Kokoo with support from international groups. Their goal was to improve the lives of cocoa farmers. They wanted to make sure farmers earned enough to support their families.

Fairtrade and Farmers

Being Fairtrade-certified is very important for Kuapa Kokoo. Fairtrade is a system that helps farmers and workers. It makes sure they get a fair price for their products. It also promotes good working conditions. For cocoa farmers, this means a stable income. It helps them plan for the future.

Fairtrade also means that a special extra payment is made. This payment is called the Fairtrade premium. The farmers' cooperative decides how to use this money. They invest it in projects that benefit the whole community. This helps everyone, not just the farmers.

Helping Communities

Kuapa Kokoo uses its Fairtrade premium to help its members and their villages. They invest in many important social projects. These projects improve daily life for thousands of people.

For example, they have built schools. This gives children a chance to learn and get an education. They have also dug bore-holes. These are wells that provide clean drinking water. Clean water is very important for health. Kuapa Kokoo also supports mobile clinics. These clinics travel to different villages. They provide healthcare to people who might not otherwise get it. They also pay bonuses directly to their farmer members. This extra money helps families with their daily needs.

Making Divine Chocolate

Kuapa Kokoo is also connected to a chocolate company. In 1997, a company called The Day Chocolate Company was started. It was created by Kuapa Kokoo and Twin Trading. This company is now known as Divine Chocolate.

Divine Chocolate mainly uses cocoa from Kuapa Kokoo farmers. This is a special partnership. Kuapa Kokoo also owns 20% of Divine Chocolate. This means the farmers have a say in the chocolate company. They also share in its profits. This is unusual and gives farmers more control over their product. It shows how farmers can be part of the whole process, from bean to chocolate bar.