Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo was invited to Switzerland for an official State visit. He would be the first to be invited in 60 years! But little did the Swiss know, he wouldn’t be delivering the news they wanted to hear.
President Akufo-Addo was there to let the Swiss know there would be no more exploiting cocoa bean farmers! This had gone on for decades and made the Swiss chocolate industry massively profitable. But poverty and exploitation were part of the deal. Not anymore!
It was time to protect cocoa farmers from being short changed, as both Swiss and American chocolate manufacturers used up Ghana’s raw materials but failed to even pay the modest living income differential (LID), a fee implemented to make sure farmers could survive on their income.
Ghana plans to stop exporting raw cocoa and instead will invest in the infrastructure to process it themselves! This includes a variety of uses including wine, tea, and yes, delicious chocolate.
We don't have to rely on the same old exploitative parties to lead us to prosperous positions. It’s time we all followed Ghana’s example – we can do the work ourselves and come out on top if we invest in our own people and our own communities. We don’t need them!