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Helena Bempong: cocoa farmer, Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative member, Divine Chocolate owner. Photo: Phil Grout ©2003 |
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THE LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE PROJECT
The Sweet Taste of Ownership
by Bob Chase
It is hard to imagine that there are people anywhere on the face of the earth who have not experienced the joy of rich chocolate melting slowly in their mouths. It is even more incredible to realize that many of those people live in places like Ghana, where much of the world's cocoa is produced. The simple fact is that these people are too poor to afford what we consider a simple treat.
This fundamental inequity is not a result of our working harder or longer or even smarter than people in developing countries. It is a direct result of the fact that people in the industrial north control the means of production and distribution. They own the system and as a result receive the vast majority of the benefits. It is also a result of a continuing oversupply of many commodities like cocoa caused by the lack of other employment opportunities in the very poorest countries, particularly Africa.
Fair Trade standards and labels have been one response to this situation. Fair Trade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) sets standards which establish a minimum fair price for agricultural products like cocoa, coffee, and bananas. In our country, these standards are monitored by FLO affiliate TransFair USA.
Coffee farmers throughout the developing world have benefited greatly from the Fair Trade label during the last decade. Now Fair Trade standards have been expanded to cocoa and chocolate.
We are pleased that the Divine chocolate products that we offer you carry the TransFair Fair Trade label, assuring you the farmers will benefit from your purchase.
Paying a fair price for cocoa, or coffee, is an extremely important first step in reducing poverty. But of equal importance is the ownership of the means of production and distribution. SERRV is extremely proud to be a U.S. distributor for Divine chocolate because the farmers of the Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative, as partial owners of Divine Chocolate, are also owners of the Divine label.
SERRV has worked for decades to assure artisans and farmers fair payment for their work. Working directly with Divine Chocolate and Kuapa Kokoo to build a significant market for their chocolate in the U.S. is a very necessary second step in addressing the issue of economic justice for cocoa farmers.
Though many of the Ghanaian farmers who bring you delicious Divine Chocolate have never eaten it, they do now know the joy of owning the company that markets some of the finest cocoa in the world--the cocoa they grow.
Bob Chase is the president of SERRV International, LWR's partner in the LWR Chocolate Project and the LWR Handcraft Project.
Questions? Email fairtrade@lwr.org to learn more.
