The stars of the 2009 Fairtrade conference

Posted by Sophi:

Kuapa Kokoo President Mr Buah outside Kensington Town Hall where the Fairtrade Commercial Conference took place

Last week I attended the Fairtrade Foundation Commercial Conference in Kensington Town Hall. Among an impressive collection of commercial heavy hitters, it was Cornelius Lynch, the Manager of the National Fairtrade organisation in St Lucia who was the star of the show. He opened the day with his lilting Caribbean tones describing how they have been exporting their Fairtrade bananas since 2000, and his great satisfaction at seeing them on the shelves of supermarkets in the UK during his visit in Fairtrade Fortnight 2009.   He gave a real sense of the impact this has had in his community, and how they are now in a position to diversify their crops.  He did mention that the value of the Fairtrade price had deceased as the cost of inputs had increased, but the overall message was one of empowerment and progress.

It was also a treat to see Abi Petit the Managing Director of Gossypium the UK best loved Fairtrade clothing brand.  She first worked in textiles in 1985 with Traidcraft and went on to establish Agrocel, the world’s first traceable cotton suppler.  Her obvious passion for the project was contagious and her confidence in the continued growth of consumers who care was reassuring.  She emphasized the importance of working with organised farmers who can decide how they use their money, and how nothing will really change until companies in the North relinquish their need to dominate.      

One of the lovely newcomers to Fairtrade was Heather Masoud, Director of Zaytoun, the Palestinian Olive Oil that got Fairtrade certified this year and is now available from the Co-op, Ethical Superstore, and Traidcraft.  Her account of the way Fairtrade had restored these farmers’ dignity was an inspiration and her description of the excellent olive oil made you want to rush out and get a bottle now.

With this year’s headline speakers including  Waitrose MD Mark Price, the MD of Starbucks Darcy Willson-Rymer, and Todd Stitzer, CEO Cadbury, it all seemed a very far cry from this event nine years ago when a small number of committed Fairtrade businesses were debating how to stretch our meagre resources to achieve a National retail presence. Todd Stitzer kindly acknowledged the importance of Divine in his speech, and it was good to meet him afterwards.  But I did come away from the event thinking: how amazing we have come this far – but have we secured the change we set out to achieve? Have the terms of trade changed, and do farmers now have a more equal and empowered position in the supply chain?

Mr Buah in town to look after business

Mr Buah at Tower Bridge

Mr Paul Celestine Kofi Buah, President of the Kuapa Kokoo farmers’ cooperative, is in town for the Board meetings of Divine UK and Divine US, the companies co-owned by the cooperative.

We took the opportunity of a bit a sight-seeing trip in between meetings!

Mr Buah outside Whole Foods Market which has a rather splendid range of Divine Chocolate

Spot the Divine taxi!

Now driving around London can be Divine

We’re rather delighted with our new Divine taxi – the most stylish transport to be seen in around town!!  But you don’t need to take a ride to enjoy the Divine experience – just take a pic of the taxi on your mobile, send it over to us – and you could win a fantastic chocolate prize

Tomorrow Mr Buah, the President of Kuapa Kokoo, who’s in town for the Divine Board Meetings, will be going travelling in London in the taxi in full traditional Ghanaian dress. (NB if you’re hoping to win that Divine prize – here’s a clue – the taxi should be around the Tower Bridge area and travelling between Kensington and Tower Bridge tomorrow morning – happy snapping!)

Mr Paul Celestine Kofi Buah, President of Kuapa Kokoo, and Board member of Divine Chocolate Ltd

Cocoa farmers make you think

Comfort Kwaasibea and Comfort Asare-Kwabi comment on the waste of good farming space in my back garden

It has been interesting working with cocoa farmers – seeing the world through their eyes you can learn a thing or two.

I remember Comfort Asare-Kwabi, who had just arrived in UK for the first time, saying to me when she saw my back garden – “how can you own so much land, and not grow your own food?”.  I felt a bit ashamed. I haven’t got a very big garden, but Comfort sowed a seed in my mind – and it did eventually make me dig up the flower bed, make a raised vegetable bed and start growing our own.

Another time Comfort Kwaasibea said, as we drove to a meeting with Gordon Brown during Fairtrade Fortnight, “Why did God make London like this… and Ghana like it is?”  Not something I could easily answer – though I didn’t feel it was God’s doing.  We expect that farmers – leaving their villages for the first time – will find UK a virtual paradise – but it’s not really the case.  They comment that there’s a ridiculous amount of choice in our supermarkets. For those Ghanaians tempted to try their luck in UK they have words of warning, “you think it will be good, but it is very hard to make your living here.”

The farmers’ perspective is a sharp reminder there’s so much Stuff we don’t need, and that though they too aspire to cars, mobile phones, roads, brick houses etc they’re not fussed about all the additional stuff – and that sustainable income, clean water, health and education remain their number one priorities along with the importance of community and extended family.

They also have sayings and turns of phrase that can be rather more interesting than ours… for example, when about to take on a big task (like setting up your own chocolate company) – “if you’re going to try and eat an elephant.. start with it’s trunk”.

From cocoa farmer to international Kuapa ambassador!

 

Kuapa Kokoo National Executive and staff (and Sophi and Sandy from Divine) - Cecilia Appianim second from left

I am Cecilia Appianim. I joined Kuapa Kokoo back in 1998 – the year that Divine was born.  I am a cocoa farmer from Agona Swedru, in the Central Region of Ghana.

Coming from a community where women are not given the opportunity to partake in active decision making processes, being a member of Kuapa Kokoo has been an eye opener. I was attracted to Kuapa when I realised I could gain more in terms of bonuses paid for selling my cocoa, as well as sharing in development projects undertaken for my community. The income generating activities specially designed for women in my Kuapa society have also gone a long way to empower me financially.

I was elected National Financial Secretary of Kuapa Kokoo Union about three years ago. I work closely with the Treasurer to ensure that the finances of the union are in order. I contested with a man and had a land slide victory. I guess it is because everyone knows women can be better trusted with money than men! My job is very challenging but with the training I have received form Kuapa Kokoo, i have been able to handle it.

I have had the opportunity to travel to the United States of America on two occasions. On both occasions I had the chance to tell people about what fairtrade and the ownership of Divine Chocolate means to members of Kuapa Kokoo.

Cecilia and Kuapa colleague at the Library of Congress in Washington DC

My trip to US was an eye opener! I was able to see big supermarket chains that stock our Divine Chocolate! It was amazing and I felt really proud that my cocoa had been turned into something so sweet! Things were very different from what happens over here in Ghana. I met a lot of people who support fairtrade and Divine and I entreated then to buy more fairtrade so that villages like Asentem could enjoy good drinking, mobile clinics etc.

Ownership of Divine chocolate has enabled me to meet highly placed people I never imagined I will meet. Divine has indeed given us recognition in the chocolate world. This is evidenced in the way people trooped to the various centres to listen to me.

Kuapa farmer Cecilia Appianim at Kuapa HQ with Divine

Ownership across the Commodity Chain

A guest blog from Michael Niemann, a writer and teacher, and expert on the cocoa to chocolate commodity chain

Think of the Divine chocolate bar you just bought as the last link of a long chain. As you follow the chain back, link by link, you discover all the things that were necessary to make that Divine bar. There’s the wrapper, of course, then all the things what went into the chocolate itself–cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla, lecithin. You can spot all those things on the list of ingredients. But you’ll have to use your imagination to see the people who worked hard to make them. That’s the problem with chocolate (and all other things). We can always see the thing but rarely think of the people who make everything that goes into it.

Fairtrade is an important step towards making some of those people visible. Every time I buy a Divine bar, I know that my purchase also benefits the cocoa farmers of Kuapa Kokoo. They will get a fair price and a social premium that contributes to their livelihood. But remember, the farmers stand at the very beginning of that chain. Fairtrade helps channel some additional money their way, but they are still at the beginning.

Throughout history, being at the beginning of a commodity chain has not been the best place to be. Yes, there have been some exceptions–oil comes to mind–but these just prove the rule. Usually the people who handle the later stages of making things, those in the middle and at the end of the chain, gain more. Economists call that value-added. That’s especially true of things made from tropical inputs. Fairtrade, as important as it is, does not change the position of the farmers, nor does it give them a larger share of the value-added that accumulates along the chain.

That’s why venture that Kuapa Kokoo and Divine have pioneered is so important. The farmers are part-owners of the chocolate company. They have leapfrogged from the beginning of the chain to its end. When Divine managing director Sophi Tranchell delivered another dividend check to Kuapa Kokoo last August, she didn’t hand over development aid, she handed the farmers their share of the value-added accumulated at the end of the chain. It’s fairtrade plus ownership. We can only hope that this model is replicated many more times.

Read Michael Niemann’s blog Bitter Chocolate here

Ghana qualify for 2010 World Cup

Lifted from the BBC Sport site…

Ghana have qualified for their second successive World Cup after a 2-0 victory over Sudan in Accra.

The Black Stars reached the 2006 tournament in Germany under Ratomir Dujkovic and another Serb coach, Milovan Rajevac has repeated the feat.

Ghana knew World Cup qualification was in their hands when Benin scored an equaliser against Mali just a few minutes before the kick-off in Accra.

Sulley Muntari’s strike early in the first half put the hosts in the driving seat.

Michael Essien made sure of the three points and World Cup qualification when he scored just a few minutes after half-time.

Ghana remain unbeaten in Group D.

Ghanaians love their football, and this world cup qualification follows their success in the Germany 2006 World Cup when they progressed through the first round group stages but were knocked out in the second round by Brazil.

Click thru here to read about Tom Palmers Ghana Diary, and his planning of a story about the next Ghanaian footballing sensation.

The Wire and Divine at Fair Trade on the Fringe

The Wire's Clarke Peters and his family meet Tania at Fair Trade on the Fringe in Edinburgh

Hand Up Media’s Tania Pramschufer reports from Edinburgh…

Fair Trade on the Fringe 28th – 31st August was the wonderful event that took place on Grassmarket, the old town of Edinburgh last week during the International Festival. With so many highlights, this event keeps bringing a smile to my face……. it’s the work of Hand Up Media the ethical company that promotes fair & ethical trade far and wide through events, publications and our online media such as www.ethical.tv  – and we love the work we do!

Several celebrities passed through Fair Trade on the Fringe and for those of you that have seen “The Wire”  Clarke Peters who played Detective Lester Freamon, his wife Penny and son Max joined us for some Divine chocolate and left with several flavours including the new and totally yummy dark with raspberry, and big smiles and hugs in equal measure. We had much fun with the guys from Shared Interest, the lovely investment organisation that invests in fairtrade projects across the globe who gave us much to enjoy, with Ruth winning top prize for her red hot chilli costume.

Shared Interest at Fair Trade on the Fringe

We had around 30 exhibitors selling everything from delicious rice from Malawi through Just Trading Scotland (is simply the most versatile and delicious rice I have ever tasted) soaps and olive oils through Palcrafts and a wonderful range of mini kids tees through Little Green Radicals, my favourite “Give peas a chance” on the front and made with beautiful cotton from India. And then Rachel from One World Shop, Reenie from Tearcraft and Bruce and Sarah from Fairshares seemed to have a gift for every occasion.

On the Dubble stand, headed by Secret Agent Kash had at one point around a dozen young people queuing all keen to become Dubble Agents. First though, they had to follow an exhibitors trail to locate the hidden pods which then had clues to be unravelled, all the exhibitors got behind this Dubble Mission trail and had as much fun as the kids, well we’re all big kids anyway.

Fair Trade on the Fringe had four days of wonderful music provided by Scots Music – an amazing guitarist named Ray Prince from Pretoria and Laura McGhee who played a rousing acoustic solo set and then in four weeks will be playing with her band in Nashville to a crowd of 250,000

Roll on Christmas:-)

Dubble Dream Team’s big day out

Here’s the latest news from Dubble HQ (Dubble is Divine‘s sister brand)

 

The Dubble Dream Team comes to town

 

This week was memorable for Dubble HQ. Why? Because the Dubble Dream Team finally got to meet up for a day of Dubble activities with added Comic Relief! The Dream Team is a group of Dubble Agents who have been specially selected to help shape the future of Dubble and http://www.dubble.co.uk. Dubble HQ has always encouraged its young supporters to lead the way and this is just another step on that journey.

Tudor, Quincy, Jac, Hazel, Izzie and Amethyst make up our Dubble Dream Team. Tudor, Quincy, Jac, Hazel and Izzie were all contestants on BBC1s Election and Amethyst AKA Dubble Agent Girl Guide was the ‘Golden Ticket’ prize winner at www.dubble.co.uk. Sadly Izzie was unable to make it but there will be plenty more opportunities.

We started the day in the chocolatey heaven of the Divine offices! It was hot hot hot in the meeting room (well more like melting room!) so the Dream Team had to be quick with their introductions and gooey choc-tastings! Our brand new Divine Dark Chocolate & Raspberries, and Milk chocolate Butterscotch flavours got the thumbs up, but despite being tempted by these new kids on the choc-block, Dubble remained the Dream Team’s favourite – naturally!

We shared news about our morning including where we had come from and all importantly … what we had for breakfast! I gave a brief presentation about Dubble before linking live to our New Korforidua Dubble Agent Dream Team in Ghana – Dubble Agents Charles, Bighting Boy, Elijah, Little Angel, Planet, Moneisco Lady and Daddy Cash (all children of Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers)! The joys of modern communication meant that it wasn’t always easy to hear one another, but we definitely all enjoyed a good laugh trying to understand what each other were saying.

Dubble Dream Team go up river to Comic Relief

After lunch we took a boat up the river Thames and headed back to work. This time at the Comic Relief offices. The Dream Team were keen to join the hall of fame and stopped for pictures in the celebrity lined red corridors. Ruth and Louise were waiting to pick the campaign brains of the Dream Teamers, after which they were split in to teams and set the mission of being Comic Relief funders. It was a unanimous decision to support application number 2 by both teams!

The Dubble Dream Team arrive at Comic Relief for some serious planning meetings

The end of a great day and the beginning of a great joint-venture at Dubble HQ!

A special thanks has to go to our designated film maker, Aisha, who made a short film of the day as part of her work experience at Dubble HQ. Thanks Aisha!