Kuapa Kokoo to commence cocoa processing, coffee production in Ghana

Leadership of Kuapa Kokoo Co-operative Cocoa Farmers (KKFU) and executives of Kuapa KOOKO Marketing limited (KKL) have said that, their vision to invest in processing of cocoa beans and also go into coffee production is still on course.

It said, an agreement has been signed with an organization that wants to set up in Ghana to process cocoa beans and all feasibility studies have concluded.
This came to light when Kuapa Kokoo Co-operative cocoa farmers union and marketing company limited held its twenty-fourth annual delegates conference at Miklin hotel in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

According to them, there are just few paper works left to be done for the dreams to be realized. This vision when conceived was thought to be too ambitious to some but strongly belief that if management unite as a team with a common purpose anything they conceive is achievable. Said, Madam Fatima Ali, President of Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative Cocoa Farmers Union.

In her address, she indicated that, Kuapa Kokoo launched the celebration of its silver Jubilee on the 19th of April, 2018 at Tepa in the Ashanti Region under the theme :’celebrating 25 years of championing sustainable Cocoa production in Ghana ‘, which meant that, by operating for 25 years, they have come of age and must taken their destiny into their own hands by introducing innovative ways of doing business and forming strategic partnerships that would make a positive impact on farmers and the future of the Kuapa cocoa.

According to her, partnership with notable organizations and agencies like COCOBOD, ministry of food and Agriculture, Millennium Promise Alliance, Department of Cooperatives, cocoa research institute of Ghana, crop research institute, FT, UTZ, Roots Capital, Rainforest Alliance, ADB Bank, First Atlantic Bank, Ghana Commercial Bank, Ghana Health Service, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and many others have been very important and key to the continued success of Kuapa Kokoo.

Achievement

She said, Kuapa Kokoo Limited, in line with the desire to increase market shares, have employed over thirty graduates as Depot keepers, supplied them with electronic tools of trade and put in place measures to deal with embezzlement and corrupt practices, and these according to her has resulted in being able to purchase 64,561 out of 70,000 metric tonnes of cocoa.

She said, they are achieving a target of 92.23% for the year 2017 /18 season and increasing their market share position from 4.2% to 7% in the cocoa sector.
This performance, to her is unprecedented since the formation of Kuapa Kokoo 25 years ago.

TeleAgric Centre to take-off in the 2018/19 season

Madam Fatima Ali further indicated that, they have completed the TeleAgric centre and this she said would be opened soon for operation to the benefit of their farmers and their community members.

She said, 87 smartphone tablets have been given to farmer executives in the various societies across the Kuapa Kokoo districts and additional 250 mobile phones have been procured with financial support from Root Capital.
Agreement she noted, has been reached with Airtel/Tigo to provide data service and a farmer group platform where farmers can call each other for free and have access to the TeleAgric center through a toll free line.

All these have been put in place for the project to be launched as soon as possible. “We look forward with eager anticipation to be the first once again in providing this modern initiative to improve farm practices” . She noted.
Health and wellbeing of Farmers and Staff.

The President made it clear that, Kuapa Kokoo forsee a farming community without the usual diseases and sickness that has become a daily risk to the well-being and lives of their farmers.

The union is also moving into preventive medicine, by so doing the union would meeting goal three of the SDGs by ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being at all ages which is essential to sustainable development.

This is because they see the health of their farmers as a key component of Kuapa Kokoo’s continuous increased in productivity and sustained it market share.

Their vision is to institute a maternal health care education unit to sensitze mothers on relevant topics to improve their health and well-being.

Other programs she highlighted on included Kuapa Kokoo – MPA Green Lecture Series, Kuapa Kokoo Gender program, and Kuapa Kokoo Yam project.

Source: Ghana.otecfmghana.com