Based in the eastern region of Ghana, ABOCFA is the only
organic and Fairtrade certified cocoa cooperative in the
country. Manager Stephen Ashia oversees the operations of
the organization. Within the ABOCFA network, producers
ferment their cocoa in heaps on the farm and dry it on
raised beds close to their homes, as the Ghana Cocoa
Board (COCOBOD) does not permit the sale or purchase of
wet cocoa. ABOCFA has invested deeply in the producing
communities through trainings on topics including farm productivity, ecological practices, harvest and postharvest quality, business and finance, and labor rights. ABOCFA recently constructed a new training facility and a nursery for cocoa and other tree crops to improve biodiversity on farms. All producer members of ABOCFA have also agreed to avoid deforestation or expansion into forested areas for cacao production. ABOCFA's producer community is renowned globally for their high quality traceable organic cocoa exhibiting a classic rich and fudgy flavor.

Pictured is producer Yakubu Minezemah

TERROIR

ABOCFA’s central office is located in Aponoapono, close to Suhum, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The Eastern Region is characterized by heavy rainfall and is considered the birthplace of cocoa in Ghana, as this area was where Tetteh Quarshie originally introduced the cocoa crop to the country in the late 1900’s. ABOCFA comprises 1,000+ producers located across 13 hamlets, or towns, in the Eastern Region. Most producers in the ABOCFA network cultivate a combination of Amelonado genetics and new hybrid seedlings intended to improve productivity and pest resistance. All cacao is fermented and dried on farm by individual producers.