Case Study: Cocoa Cultivation in Ghana | Geography Class 7 ICSE PDF Download

Introduction

History of Cocoa Production in Ghana

• Cocoa was introduced to Ghana’s southern Gold Coast by British commercial farmers from Akuapem and Krobo regions.
• In the mid-19th century, farmers from these areas moved to Akyem to buy forest lands for cocoa cultivation.
• Funds from palm oil and rubber trading were used to purchase land for cocoa farming.
• Cocoa cultivation began in Ghana in 1895.
• By the late 19th century, Ghana started exporting cocoa.
• Today, Ghana contributes about 11% of the world’s cocoa production.

Cocoa Processing

• Cocoa trees are grown on small farms in tropical regions, within 15-20 degrees latitude from the Equator.
• Cocoa is a delicate crop, requiring protection from wind, sun, pests, and diseases.
• With proper care, cocoa trees reach peak production by the fifth year and maintain it for ten years.

Harvesting

• Ripe cocoa pods are available throughout the year, with two peak harvests annually in most countries.
• Weather changes can affect harvest times and yields, leading to yearly fluctuations.
• Farmers use long-handled steel tools to remove pods from trees.
• Pods are split open with a stick or machete to extract beans.
• Each pod contains 20 to 50 beans, depending on the cocoa variety.
• Approximately 400 beans are needed to produce one pound of chocolate.

Fermenting and Drying

• Fresh beans are packed into boxes or piled and covered with mats or banana leaves.
• The pulp around the beans heats up, fermenting them for 3 to 7 days, developing the chocolate flavor.
• After fermentation, beans are dried in the sun or under solar dryers for several days.

Products Manufactured from Cocoa

• Premium Ghana cocoa beans are sorted, roasted, winnowed, and milled to produce cocoa liquor.
• Bean size, moisture, fat content, and fat quality determine the quality of cocoa butter and liquor.
• Proper fermentation, storage, and evacuation ensure high-quality cocoa products.
• Cocoa Liquor: The first product from processed cocoa beans, containing no alcohol.
• Cocoa Butter: Clear, pale yellow, meeting strict quality standards for chocolatiers.
• Cocoa Cake: Residue after pressing cocoa liquor, available as natural or alkalized, with 10-12% butter content.
• Cocoa Powder: Milled cocoa cake, as fine as sugar, available in natural and alkalized forms.
• Couverture Chocolate: High-quality chocolate with 32-39% cocoa butter, offering shine and smooth texture.

Cocoa Production and Economy

• West Africa produces 75% of the world’s cocoa, with Ivory Coast leading and Ghana second.
• Cocoa is Ghana’s most important agricultural commodity and second-largest foreign exchange earner.
• It accounts for 30% of export revenue and 57% of agricultural exports.
• The cocoa sector employs about 2 million people directly and indirectly.
• Around 350,000 cocoa farm owners contribute to Ghana’s GDP.
• Over 50% of Ghanaian exports are cocoa products.
• Agriculture, including cocoa, drives Ghana’s economy, alongside services and manufacturing.
• Other exports like fruits and fish are minor compared to cocoa.
• A decline in cocoa production could harm Ghana’s overall economic growth.

Conditions of the Farmers in Ghana

• Most cocoa farmers are small landholders.
• Productivity levels remain low.
• The average age of cocoa farmers is around 50 years.
• Farmers are generally not organized into cooperatives or unions.
• Most farmers are not considered bankable and rely on credit from business partners.
• Farmers are protected from global market price fluctuations and have access to stable markets.

Benefits from Cocoa in Ghana

• The Cadbury Cocoa Partnership invests over $400 million over 10 years to improve the lives of over 500,000 cocoa farmers.
• Kuapa Kokoo has funded mobile clinics, boreholes, and school buildings in cocoa communities.
• The Cocoa Roads Improvement Project uses cocoa revenue to build and maintain roads.
• Cocoa funds have supported healthcare infrastructure in cocoa-growing areas, Kumasi, and Accra.

Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD)

• COCOBOD is a government institution that regulates cocoa prices in Ghana.
• It protects farmers from volatile global market prices by fixing buying prices.
• COCOBOD sells high-quality hybrid seeds to farmers.
• It conducts research on cocoa plant diseases.

Objectives of COCOBOD:

• Promote cocoa processing and value addition for export and local consumption.
• Implement programs to control pests and diseases affecting cocoa.
• Support scientific research to improve cocoa quality.
• Purchase, market, and export cocoa and its products from Ghana and other African countries.
• Assist in developing the cocoa industry.

Problems Faced by Cocoa Farmers