From cocoa farm to Master’s degree: Inside the Fairtrade story transforming Suhum’s cocoa communities

In the cocoa-growing town of Suhum, Ghana, the Asetenapa Cocoa Cooperative is demonstrating the transformative power of Fairtrade certification. Young farmer Felix Tetteh's journey from secondary school graduate to pursuing a master's degree is a result of the support provided by Fairtrade and the cooperative. Tetteh now works as a Compliance and Partnership Manager for the cooperative and as a Fairtrade International Ambassador.

Dennis Attuah, the Productivity and Environmental Sustainability Officer for the cooperative, ensures that Fairtrade standards are translated into tangible results for the farmers. The cooperative focuses on helping farmers achieve better yields by following good agricultural practices. However, labor shortages present a significant challenge.

To address this, the cooperative operates a rural service center staffed by a youth team that provides farm operations assistance at subsidized prices, creating youth employment opportunities.

Attuah also plays a crucial role in protecting the quality of cocoa by ensuring farmers use certified chemicals recommended by COCOBOD Ghana, preventing harmful residue in the cocoa. The cooperative emphasizes that farmers are better off joining together, as membership in a cooperative provides numerous advantages, including access to Fairtrade Premium. This premium is used to invest in community infrastructure, such as building a three-unit kindergarten school in one of the cooperative's communities.

Tetteh and Attuah's stories illustrate the full impact of Fairtrade in Suhum, from sustainable farming practices and labor support to the distribution of Fairtrade Premium and community development. Tetteh urges consumers to choose Fairtrade products, as the benefits to farmers' livelihoods are substantial. The success of the cooperative in Asetenapa serves as an example of the positive outcomes achievable through fair trade practices and cooperative efforts.