The cocoa industry by its fundamental nature is a long-term business. For a cocoa tree to bear pots takes 3-5 years depending on the variety used. To establish business relations and run successful marketing campaigns is equally a long time and resource consuming process, far from an Internet sensation or one time music hit during summer season. Only a few know how to play this game in the long run watching amateurs struggle against the odds.
On the other side, responsible politicians with four or maximum eight years in office make short-term decisions to address the factors which influence the international cocoa price. New producers of cocoa enter the market or increase their production to overtake number two (Ghana) to make it number three cocoa exporter, effects of seasonal effects on the outcome of the tonnage like draught or other natural harm caused to the cocoa tree, threats of boycotts due to chemicals found in the cocoa beans, overcapacity on the world market due to reduced consumers consumption to mention a few influential damaging factors to stable and good cocoa prices.
When a tree is not meant to fall in a storm it must demonstrate it is flexible, has a strong tree trunk and healthy supportive deep rooted roots.
An economy and society depending seriously on the sale and price to satisfy a great number of its people like in the African cocoa industry faces constant challenges in the context of economic needs, fiscal possibilities and discipline as much as a constant conflicting policy for the nation. Two political party systems see the cocoa sector today moving into the right direction while the change of political leadership in power moves the cocoa sector to the left side. The inconsistency in driving the cocoa sector today into tomorrow and beyond is a disturbing factor for the progress of a developing country. Today here, tomorrow there confuse people and make them live on a roller coaster while a minimum of stability for progress is required. Farmers do understand and appreciate their livelihood depends on various factors which are hard to control yet must be faced with the best options and strategies.
The use of AI in the sector, growing organic cocoa beans, have a Chocolate City, Chocolate Trail, best Cocoa Research Center, hosting World Chocolate Championships, Chocolate parade of the magnitude of Carnival in Rio or Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York are the pillars, the tree trunk while marketing the right cocoa products under the most creative marketing in e.g. Tema are the flexible branches subject to economic facts and uncertainties yet able to ride on the storm to benefit in the toughest of times the cocoa farmers and the nation as a whole – at least comfort the farmers when they need to accept a necessary cut in cocoa prices. Communication and a long term sustainable strategy stakeholders understand is key and avoids anger and confusion.
Unlike other cocoa nations Ghana faces the challenges of Galamsey destroying cocoa farms through mercury used in water bodies to separate gold from sand, gravel and stones. Cocoa farmers calculate cocoa prices and compare them to illegal mining profits. A cocoa farmer lost to illegal gold mining is lost for a minimum of ten years (3-6 months mining, 5 years clean-up and recultivation, 3-5 years growing of new cocoa trees) for the cocoa sector. During this time governments and political parties have changed and taken another decision concerning the fate of the cocoa sector if the build-up of capacity and capabilities is not an upstream development but a curve bending up and down as storms and winds decide over them.
It is always wiser to blow with the wind not against it or be subject to its magnitude. Be the creator not the creation. Or at least the creator of your own creation.
