Entry: Charlotte Thorø Berghof, Toms Confectionery Group
The WCF trip to Ghana has left many impressions. There are the most obvious ones related to traveling in the countryside of Ghana as we, the WCF delegates, were introduced to the cocoa supply chain. Some of the images looking out of the bus window are still vivid e.g. the image of the red dirt roads as it cuts through the rain forest with its magnificence flora and the glimpse we got of all the lives unfolded along the roads and in the villages we passed through.
What has left a stronger impression was the introduction to WCF partners and their projects – and more so meeting the people being part of the projects. For example, talking to young students at the Bechem Teaching Training College as they shared their dreams of life as a teacher and their visions for what they want to give back to the children in school as their contribution to the future of Ghana. The pride, joy and determination reflected in such views command respect.
It was also a great experience to see the STCP Farmer Field Schools and listen in on a class as it took place at a test farm. This gave a first hand impression of the participatory methods through which the Farmer Field School has received so fine results benefiting the environment, the farmers and their families.
Being in Ghana it becomes very clear that in regard to quality, social or environmental issues in relation to cocoa there are no simple solutions to the challenges. The challenges are complex as these are intertwined with the challenges of poverty and the consequences hereof. It was therefore very satisfying to see that the partner projects respectively and combined were based on holistic approaches characterized by the quest to find long lasting solutions aligned to the government strategies and initiatives.
Not only has the scheduled part of the trip been valuable, also the unique opportunity for the delegates to share their perceptions and approaches to the multiple issues related to cocoa and chocolate making has been fruitful and intriguing.
Though I have been in Ghana before, going through the cocoa supply chain I am continuously amazed with the immensity of it: the amount of time the farmer has to use growing and harvesting cocoa, the extensive quality control and recurring handling of the beans all the way from society level to the harbor. It makes it hard to grasp all the hands the cocoa has to go through before it, fore example, ends up in the silo at our factory in Copenhagen – and ultimately ends up in the hands of consumers all over the world in the shape of chocolate.
Photo: Mr. Keita Morinaga of Morinaga & CO., LTD, Mr. Yoshinori Doi of Meiji Seika Kaisha, Ltd. and Ms. Charlotte Thorø Berghof of Toms Confectionery Group