A better reason to eat chocolates

Americans consume about 13 pounds of chocolate per person each year. While recent news of chocolate's health benefits has no doubt eased the minds of many calorie-conscious consumers, there's an even better reason to feel good about a daily chocolate indulgence.

For many cocoa farmers in West Africa, where most of the world's cocoa is grown, there is little to show for long hours of backbreaking work. Small scale farmers with no access to credit and no way to trade directly in the marketplace must rely on middlemen who cheat them out of a fair price. In the end, farmers may earn as little as $300 a year.

But deep in Ghana's Ashanti region the cocoa farmers who are members of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative have reason to celebrate. The Kuapa Kokoo farmers are also owners of Divine Chocolate, the world's first farmer-owned Fair Trade chocolate brand.

In addition to having a share in the profits, the Kuapa Kokoo farmers have two seats on the board and a say in the direction of the company. All of the cocoa in Divine Chocolate bars is purchased on Fair Trade terms.

This means that farmers receive a guaranteed minimum price, plus Kuapa Kokoo invests the Fair Trade social premium in community projects such as schools, health clinics, clean drinking water and programs to promote entrepreneurship among the thousands of local farmers.

Lutheran World Relief and Catholic Relief Services have partnered with Divine Chocolate to help educate Americans about the difference that supporting Fair Trade chocolate makes for farmers in Ghana and elsewhere in the world.

Lutheran World Relief's Chocolate Project challenges chocolate lovers in Lutheran congregations to put faith into action and give cocoa farmers a fair deal by selling Divine Chocolate and sharing it during fellowship hours.

Catholic Relief Services has launched a new fundraising program, Raise Money Right, which encourages Catholic schools and parishes to sell Fair Trade chocolate.

To learn about Divine Chocolate and Kuapa Kokoo, go to www.divinechocolateUSA.com.

Here's how to help:

+Join Lutheran World Relief and Catholic Relief Services in their support of Fair Trade. Visit the website www.lwr.org or www.crsfairtrade.org.

+Encourage your community, school or faith congregation to use Fair Trade chocolate for fundraising and educational programs, or purchase Divine Chocolate online through SERRV International at www.serrv.org.

+Look for Divine Chocolate and other Fair Trade products.

This story is provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.