Producer-owned data in practice at a Ghanaian cocoa co-operative
Small-scale producers are increasingly being asked to provide data so companies can meet growing sustainability and due diligence requirements.
Yet, many producers and producer organisations are unable to access or manage their own data, limiting their ability to respond to market demands and benefit from the value it creates.
Meeting growing market demands
Data is a critical asset for compliance, but it can also give producers greater control over their information and influence in the supply chain.
Recognising this, Fairtrade has been piloting a data ownership model with three cocoa co-operatives in Ghana, representing more than 8,000 farmers, to strengthen their capacity to manage, govern and commercialise their data.
Supported by the ISEAL Innovations Fund, the pilots form part of the Fairtrade and Mondelēz International Cocoa Cooperative Organisational Strengthening Programme (CCOSP), which helps Ghanaian cocoa co-operatives respond to increasing market demands and strengthen their long-term resilience.
Putting data into practice
On 11 June, following the ISEAL Global Sustainability Symposium, members of ISEAL’s Innovations Fund team visited one of the participating co-operatives, the West Akyem Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union.
Co-operatives play a vital role in cocoa farming communities in West Africa, supporting farmers through training, income diversification, improved market access and community development.
At the co-operative's headquarters, members shared how the pilot has strengthened the union's ability to manage producer-owned data. Improvements include digitised operations, a dedicated Data Manager, staff training and mapping 75% of members' farms in preparation for traceability requirements. With these systems in place, the union is now positioned to commercialise its data.
The union has attracted a new Fairtrade buyer demonstrating how stronger producer organisations and farmer-owned data can help unlock new market opportunities.
At the same time, conversations with co-operative members highlighted the challenges they continue to face, including climate change, market uncertainty, attracting women into leadership roles and ensuring co-operatives have the capacity to meet changing market requirements.
Their commitment to sustaining the data management unit and maintaining a strong and organised membership demonstrated the impact of the pilot and how producer ownership of data can help build more resilient, market-ready co-operatives.
A visit to a member's Fairtrade-certified cocoa farm brought the discussions to life. Surrounded by cocoa growing alongside coconuts, oil palm, plantain and papaya, the team saw sustainable production in practice and heard how these approaches are improving soil fertility, supporting biodiversity and strengthening resilience to climate change, and were interested to learn first-hand about the journey from cocoa pod to bean.
The Symposium highlighted that resilient supply chains cannot be built without coordinated action. This visit brought to life how meaningful progress can be achieved through credible, practical approaches that put producers at the centre.
The ISEAL Innovations Fund is supported by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and UK International Development from the UK government.
