Women-led cocoa group breaks barrier with global certification

By Buertey Francis BORYOR

 An all-women cocoa farmers’ cooperative has become the first of its kind in the country to secure Rainforest Alliance (RA) certification, in a milestone expected to boost market access, improve incomes and strengthen sustainable cocoa production.

The Assinman Women Cooperative and Marketing Union, made up of over 1,118 women farmers, achieved the certification with technical support from SafeCrop Ltd, positioning the group as a new model for inclusive and sustainable agricultural development.

The event, held in Accra on April 17, 2026, brought together stakeholders to highlight the cooperative’s achievements and explore opportunities to expand women’s participation in sustainable cocoa production.

Managing Director of SafeCrop Ltd, Akua Yeboah Oduro-Owusu, said the certification marks a major breakthrough not only for the cooperative but also for the company’s efforts to build resilient farmer groups.

“We see this as a great achievement. It is the first female cooperative to attain this certification, and we are celebrating our women today,” she said.

She explained that the certification signifies that cocoa produced by the cooperative meets strict environmental, social and economic standards, making it more attractive to international buyers.

“Certified cocoa is trusted more on the international market, and it becomes easier for farmers to sell,” she added.

The cooperative, established in 2024 and based in Assin Fosu in the Central Region, has rapidly built a strong presence, recording significant production volumes while meeting global traceability and sustainability requirements.

Through structured training and technical support, members were equipped with skills in good agricultural practices, environmental protection, responsible labour practices and farm traceability.

The certification process included full mapping of farms and internal inspections to ensure compliance with international standards, placing the cooperative in line with emerging global regulations governing cocoa sourcing.

SafeCrop, which led the implementation process, provided end-to-end support including farmer organisation, training, digital traceability systems and audit preparation.

Ms Oduro-Owusu described the milestone as evidence of its capacity to drive sustainable cocoa production systems and position farmer groups for global competitiveness Beyond certification, she said access to finance remains a critical challenge for the women, many of whom rely on smallholder farming for their livelihoods.

Cooperative Development Manager at SafeCrop Ltd, Victoria Lorretta Owusu, said the company has introduced financial support systems to strengthen the group’s operations and resilience.

She noted that partnerships with financial service providers have enabled farmers to access credit facilities for farm inputs, equipment and personal needs.

“We realised that beyond farming, these women have other responsibilities such as education for their children and household needs, so financial support is critical,” she said.

She added that the company also provides financial literacy training, encouraging savings and investment among members to improve long-term stability.

A key component of the support system is the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) model, which allows members to pool small savings and access loans within the group.

Under the system, members contribute regularly and can borrow to meet urgent needs, with funds managed collectively and shared at the end of a cycle. SafeCrop has further strengthened this model through partnerships to provide larger and more structured credit support, reducing risks and expanding access to financing.

The certification and accompanying support systems are expected to improve productivity, enhance incomes and increase the cooperative’s participation in international cocoa markets.

She said, the success of the all-women cooperative highlights the growing role of women in agriculture and the potential for targeted support to drive sector transformation, adding that the achievement marks only the beginning of a broader strategy to scale up operations and support more farmer groups across the country.

“This is just the beginning of our journey. We have not even done a quarter of what we expect to achieve,” Ms. Oduro-Owusu said.

Grace Ofori, the cooperative’s secretary, said the group is the first women’s cooperative in the Assin and the first globally to receive the prestigious certification, crediting Safecrop for providing essential training and capacity-building that prepared the farmers for the rigorous certification process.

“The trainers came down to our level and used accessible language to ensure every member understood the requirements. We would make sure we put the certificate to good use to help Assinman and the country as a whole,” Ofori said.

Despite the achievement, she called for broader institutional support to sustain their growth, urging COCOBOD to provide farmers with fertilizers, modern equipment, and financial assistance.

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