I am sat in a stakeholder meeting with 40 cocoa farming community representatives from the District of Suhum in the Eastern Region of Ghana. In the meeting there are Chiefs, local Assembly Members, community members and District ASsembly Officers. The group represent 15 new communities who will work with Cadbury's Cocoa Partnership to help improve the livelihoods of Cocoa Farmers in this part of Ghana, who are amongst some of the poorest people here.
We have just listened to a presentation about the Partnership and I was astonished to hear that Cadbury's UK buy all of its cocoa from Ghana and that equates to 15% of all of Ghana's cocoa export. The price that the farmers get for the raw product is disgracefully low compared to the final cost of the product in the shops. Much work is now being done to encourage Fair Trade, a fair price and a fair living for all partners in the process.
Some of you will have heard of Divine chocolate. The link above will take you to their site where you can find out how this Fair Trade organisation supports cocoa farmers here in Ghana. You too can help make a difference to the lives of people at the bottom of the cocoa supply chain by buying Fair Trade chocolate products such as Divine or Green and Blacks (I know many of you already do so).
Check out the website for to learn more about some of the initiatives going on to make this world fairer and more just place for ALL not just the few. You know.........
I thought Cadbury went totally fairtrade on their Ghana produce?
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