Ghana is famed for the high quality cocoa it produces; cocoa is the country’s second largest export. The cocoa beans are used to make chocolate, either in Ghana, or in other countries such as the UK. One of the UK’s leading chocolate manufacturers, Cadbury’s, uses over 50,000 tonnes of cocoa beans every year to make chocolate.

In Africa, cocoa is grown almost entirely on small-holdings. To flourish, cocoa trees need to be shaded, especially in the early stages of growth. Young cocoa trees are grown from seeds planted in special nurseries before being transferred to the prepared growing areas.

When the trees are three to four years old, they start to bear fruit. These large pods are green when young, but change to a golden-yellow when ripe. Once picked, the pods are broken open and the beans, formed on a stem and covered in sweet, creamy oil, are scooped out. The seeds are left to ferment and then to dry in the sun. During this process, the original pale creamy colour turns dark brown. It is then ready to manufacture into cocoa butter or chocolate.

Nothing goes to waste from the cocoa plant. The cocoa husk is used for fertiliser, and also as the ingredient of a specialist soap. Cocoa shell is used for garden mulch to control weeds and repel slugs.

You can find out more about cocoa in the Chokky bikkies activitiy in the schools section.