Empowering Women Cocoa Producers : TDC’s Collaboration with Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana
Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union (KKFU) is a leading cooperative in Ghana, committed to empowering cocoa farmers via sustainable farming methods and extensive support services. The cooperative prioritises environmental protection, gender equality, and socio-economic advancement to enhance rural livelihoods within Ghana’s cocoa industry.
Key Achievements Over the past three years, KKFU has distributed over 2 million cocoa seedlings, 450,000 shade tree seedlings, and 41,000 fruit trees to 13,943 farmers (4,880 women, 9,063 men). The cooperative has implemented Dynamic Agroforestry systems in 54 communities across five primary societies in the Ahafo Region, with 400 hectares of cocoa plots achieving organic certification. Farmers receive training in forest protection, shade tree planting, and climate-smart cocoa production. KKFU’s gender policy promotes inclusivity through adult literacy classes, skills training, leadership development, and financial management programmes, with a focus on empowering women.
KKFU maintains high certification standards through training in good agricultural practices (GAP), good environmental practices (GEP), and good management practices (GMP). It operates a child labour monitoring and remediation system (CLMRS) and formalises farm owner-tenant relations. Additionally, KKFU supports 2,500 farmers across 39 primary societies with climate-smart cropping systems, enhancing sustainable cocoa production.
The TDC supported project
The Trade for Development Centre has awarded €81,611 to Kuapa Kokoo for their “Empowering Women for Economic Resilience” (EmpoWER) project in Ghana’s Eastern Region. Through this 3-year initiative (2024-2027), the TDC is supporting sustainable and decent income practices within Ghana’s cocoa sector.
- The project will train 2,500 cocoa farmers (80% women, 20% men) in good management, environmental, and agricultural practices to enhance compliance with certification requirements and improve financial literacy.
- The TDC’s funding enables the establishment of 50 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) to improve rural access to credit, benefiting approximately 1,250 members.
- The programme includes land tenure security arrangements for 150 vulnerable farmers, particularly women and immigrants, addressing critical access barriers.
- Environmental sustainability is promoted through the distribution of 30,000 shade tree seedlings and comprehensive farm mapping of 2,500 cocoa farms to prevent deforestation.
- The TDC’s investment supports climate-smart practices whilst examining farm polygons for encroachment into protected areas. Additionally, pruning services for 1,000 KKFU members’ farms will boost productivity and decent income outcomes.
First results
The TDC-funded EmpoWER project has achieved significant early milestones during its first quarter of implementation from February to April 2025.
- The project successfully completed sensitisation activities across five districts in Ghana’s Eastern Region, reaching 158 out of 160 targeted purchasing clerks (98% participation rate) who serve as community representatives.
- Following sensitisation, comprehensive vulnerability assessments were conducted through community profiling interviews, enabling the project team to strategically select 41 communities for targeted intervention based on their specific needs.
- Training needs assessments were completed across all 41 selected communities using focused-group discussions with community leaders and farmer executives, revealing that whilst all communities require support in good agricultural practices, good environmental practices, and financial literacy, specific needs vary by location. 35 communities need Village Savings and Loans Association support, 14 require land tenure security assistance, and 20 need pruning services.
LIDL’s Way to Go and Kuapa Kokoo
Lidl’s Way To Go project supports fair trade in Ghana’s cocoa sector by partnering with the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative, using 100% traceable cocoa beans to produce chocolate. It guarantees farmers a Fairtrade minimum price plus an additional premium to enhance financial stability, while providing training and resources to improve cultivation methods and diversify income sources. With a strong focus on gender equality, the project offers specific support for women farmers, ensuring fair treatment and sustainable livelihoods for producers through this central partnership.
