1. How has the cocoa livelihood program (CLP) impacted on livelihoods capitals of cocoa farmers in the Ahafo Ano South District?
2. What are the existing challenges to sustainable livelihood capitals of cocoa farmers?
The next chapter provides readers information about how this whole study was conceived, a brief history of cocoa farming in Ghana, the connections between CSRs and the United Nations´ millennium development goal eight (MDG8), the various players in the cocoa supply chain and a brief introduction of the Solidaridad network organization whose project the study seeks to explore.
2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world as its cocoa production accounts for nearly a fifth of the world’s supply. Ghana’s cocoa production is estimated at 720 thousand tons representing 20 percent of overall world production (Gyasi, 2010).
Ghana is believed to be on top when it comes to best quality cocoa beans among cocoa producing countries in the world (ibid).
There have been quite many plan strategies and projects by big corporate organizations on sustainable farming practices in the area of cocoa farming in Ghana. The World Cocoa Foundation´s (WCF) Cocoa Livelihood Programme (CLP) has been an ongoing project since the year 2009 not only in Ghana, but three other West African cocoa-producing countries namely; Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast (WFC, 2014). The WCF´s CLP initiative is estimated to cost $70 million and expected to come to an end in the year 2018.It is being funded by Mars, Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, the Dutch Sustainable Initiative (IDH), the Walmart Foundation and about 15 corporate entities who deals in finished cocoa product and are registered members of WCF (WFC, 2014).
Under the WCFs CLP, it is envisage among other things to create sustainable supply chains from the producer to the consumer and give fair opportunity to cocoa producing households in Ghana the opportunity to produce food crops, alongside cocoa, thereby accessing important economic, social and environmental benefits (ibid). In other words, the CLP will help cocoa producers(farmers) in developing countries to get a better price for better products whiles consolidating sustainable livelihood of the cocoa farmers and their community. They also help companies in the marketplace to implement Corporate Social Responsibilities and find sustainable suppliers. The WCF in this instance play the role of a broker between cocoa producers (farmers) and manufacturers of cocoa products (companies).
Solidaridad West Africa which is a regional branch of Solidaridad Network Organization is currently working in Ghana within cocoa producing areas, focusing on sustainable cocoa farming practices under the CLP, a CSR initiative. Solidaridad West Africa as a non-profit network organization under the WCF CLP initiative is collaborating with Noble Resources, Fair Trade Rainforest Alliance Crop Life to increasing cocoa crop production to 1,000kg/ha and improving the lives of cocoa farmers in general.
The present study was conducted in Ahafo Ano South District located at the North-Western part of Ashanti Region. Ahafo Ano District has a land mass of about 1241kmsq, occupying 5.8% of the total landmark of Ashanti region with district capital Mankraso located 34km along the Kumasi-Sunyani Highway (Abankwah et al, 2010, p.117). Ahafo Ano South District has a fertile humus soil covered with forest which makes it ideal for major farming activities such as cocoa farming. About 300sqkm which is about 28% of the total land area of the district is covered with forest trees making the soil moisturize (ibid).Agriculture plays a very significant role on employment and income of the people living in the above-mentioned district. Agriculture alone employs an estimated 70.2% of the working population in the Ahafo Ano South district (MOFEP, 2013). Figure 1 below is the geographical location of the studied area.
Figure 1: Geographical location of the research district
A Brief history of cocoa farming in Ghana
According to Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board (COCOBOD, 2014) which is the regulating body assigned to cocoa cultivation and export, cocoa as a tropical commodity traces its origination from the Amazon regions of southern America. The spread of cocoa beans around the world is attributed to Spain which had a strong and long history of contact with South America (CODOBOD, ibid). The large-scale cultivation of cocoa was started by the Spanish in the 16th century in Central America. It spread to the British, French and Dutch West Indies (Jamaica, Martinique, and Surinam) in the 17th century and to Brazil in the 18th century. From Brazil it was taken to SÃO Tome and Fernando Po (now part of Equatorial Guinea) in 1840; and from there to other parts of West Africa, notably the Gold Coast now Ghana, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast (ibid).
When it comes to the history of cocoa in Ghana, much tribute is paid to Tetteh Quarshie who is thought to have brought cocoa from a place called Fernando Po. It is generally believing in Ghana that, he started the mass cultivation of cocoa resulting in the spread from Akwapim Mampong which was his hometown to other parts of the country (ibid).But this notwithstanding, a British Governor by name Sir, William Bradford Griffith is also thought to have arranged for import of cocoa seeds to be nursed and distributed to farmers willing to go into cocoa farming (ibid). Cocoa farming is done in a subsistence way. People use small farm land of the families to cultivate the cocoa crop yet, its contribution in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) to the economy of Ghana is overwhelming.