Tribute to Kuapa Kokoo’s President, Madam Christiana Ohene-Agyare

On May 19, Madam Christiana Ohene-Agyare, President of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union in Ghana, passed away after a short illness.
Christiana, known as “Maa” or “Auntie Christy” to those she worked with, was the first woman elected to head Kuapa Kokoo – the biggest cocoa farmers’ cooperative in the world. In this role, Christiana made history in the cocoa industry, and continued to empower women by her words and actions. Thanks to her leadership, the cooperative – part owners of Divine Chocolate – saw increased benefits to farmers and the community, grew its market share, and won awards for its work. Christiana was an outspoken supporter of fair trade and believed that Kuapa Kokoo’s participation in the Fairtrade system was critical to its success:
Fairtrade has delivered significant additional income to Kuapa Kokoo and through our democratic processes we have allocated that money. A significant part has been paid directly to our farmer members and to projects that directly benefit them. Without the support and extra income which Fairtrade and our Fairtrade partners deliver, we wouldn’t be here today and cocoa farmers would still have no say in their own futures.
We are deeply saddened by this news. Our sincere condolences go to Christiana’s family, friends and everyone who worked with her. Christiana touched many lives, and we know that her legacy will live on. To learn more about Christiana’s impact, read the tributes from Kuapa Kokoo and Divine Chocolate.








