Located in the South Asunafo region of Ghana, the Kukuom Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union has established itself as a significant force for sustainable agriculture since its inception in 2012. Comprising 3,741 members across 29 societies – 40% of whom are women – the Union’s core mission is to empower farmers to increase value for their families and communities. The cooperative has held Fairtrade certification since 2012, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to acceptable social, environmental, and governance practices.
Building Climate Resilience
Between January 2021 and December 2022, the Union implemented a climate resilience project funded by a €25,963 grant from Enabel’s Trade for Development Centre (TDC). The project aimed to transition farmers from full-sun monoculture to diverse cocoa agroforestry systems.
The initiative achieved 100% of its targets, training 36 lead farmers (who cascaded knowledge to their societies) and distributing 27,000 economic shade tree seedlings, including species such as Terminalia superba and Cedrela odorata. Monitoring revealed high survival rates for the trees and improved microclimatic conditions, with farmers reporting increased awareness of climate change issues.
Strengthening Business and Finance
From 2020 to 2022, Kukuom received comprehensive coaching to professionalise its operations. Prior to this, the organisation relied entirely on Fairtrade premiums and often engaged in investments without feasibility studies.
The coaching yielded significant results:
- Strategic Planning: The Union developed a 5-year strategic plan using the OGSM framework and created analysis tools to assess the performance of all 29 societies.
- Financial Management: Participants mastered critical concepts such as Profit & Loss, ROI, and depreciation. A 3-year financial plan was also produced for the Union’s hotel business.
- Diversification: To reduce revenue dependency, the Union assessed the feasibility of five new business opportunities, including a demo cocoa farm, a primary school, and passenger transport services.
Enhancing Brand Identity
Parallel coaching in marketing helped the cooperative refine its public image. Adopting the brand name ‘Kukuom Fairtrade Cocoa’, the Union developed a modern website and established a presence on social media platforms like LinkedIn. Despite the need for dedicated marketing staff, the cooperative successfully expanded its partnership to include five additional Licensed Buying Companies.
Future Outlook
Moving forward, the Kukuom Cooperative will benefit from further TDC support through on-site coaching in Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD). This programme is designed to equip the Union with the tools to proactively identify and remediate human rights and environmental risks, ensuring compliance with evolving European reporting requirements.
