Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

CocoaLink Cocoa Farmers in Ghana

Cocoa has always grown in many parts of the African tropics. Africa produces well over 65 percent of the world’s cocoa. CocoaLink connects farmers.

Many African countries grow cocoa and CocoaLink is helping to produce better crops and higher incomes. Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Congo grow cocoa trees but the main producers are Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire with the help of CocoaLink.

Chocolate Heart I Love You Always Cookies

Cocoa has always grown in many parts of the African tropics. The cacao-tree grows wild in the forests of tropical regions growing well in humid tropical climates with regular rains and a short dry season. Africa produces well over 65 percent of the world’s cocoa. CocoaLink connects African cocoa farmers with information about good farming practices.

Everybody loves chocolate, CocoaLink helping Cocoa Tree farmers in Ghana


Cocoa is used to make the world’s most beloved sweet treat, chocolate. Most African Cocoa farmers sell their cocoa harvest to an intermediary in similar conditions of a tenant farmer and sharecropper. 

Cocoa was first planted in Ghana, in 1879 and as in the rest of West Africa; cocoa is grown almost entirely on small farms where labors work the land.  Cocoa farming on this level in Africa ingenuous planting techniques of cocoa trees makes modernization impractical. 

However, a new mobile phone technology, Cocoa-Link connects cocoa farmers with information about good farming practices. Cocoa-Link delivers information by text and voice-mail to cocoa farmers in 15 communities in Western Ghana.

There are three broad types of cocoa forastero and crillo plus trinitario. Forastero is the major portion of all cocoa grown, amelonado is a forastero variety most widely grown in West Africa and other regions. The peak time for harvesting Cocoa trees is between September and December in West Africa.

The Ghanaian government sets the price for how much farmers are paid for a bag of cocoa beans. Farmers get around $57 for a bag of cocoa beans weighing about 140 pounds. However, farmers state fertilizer prices have raised sharply over the past few years.

The next time you have a chocolate craving or you give a gift for a special occasion to your sweetheart, chances are that piece of chocolate originated from Africa. However if you or your sweetheart crave chocolate and you want to keep a clear conscience, look for fair trade chocolates. 

On their website, Fair Trade states “Fair Trade certification ensures that farmers receive a fair price, allows farmers to invest in techniques that bring out the flavors of the region, and strictly prohibits slave and child labor.”

Everybody loves chocolate

CocoaLink is sponsored by The Hershey Company, the Ghana Cocoa Board and the World Cocoa Foundation. According to Hershey’s “CocoaLink connects cocoa farmers with important information about improving farming practices, farm safety, child labor, health, crop disease prevention, post-harvest production and crop marketing.  

The program launched with its first message to Ghanaian farmers in July 2011 is now the largest mobile farmer technology program of its kind. Working with many on-the-ground partners, CocoaLink is on track to reach 25,000 farmers by the end of the 2011 year.”

The African Government of Ghana promised to reduce forest loss and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent in the cocoa tree farming by 2030. Ghana is one of the first cocoa growing African countries joining in the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility program and Cocoa Forest Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Program to reduce Ghana’s cocoa deforestation and forest destruction while increasing cocoa tree yields.

Did you know? Swiss commodities trading group ECOM formerly Armajaro Trading is a supplier of commodities to chocolate manufacturers such as Hershey’s. Based in Hershey, PA, The Hershey Company produces chocolates and other snacks. ECOM is among the top five merchants in cocoa.


More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

  1. Curried Tanzanian Coconut Okra Recipe
  2. Yedoro Stir Fried Ethiopian Chicken Dinner
  3. Senegalese Chicken Vermicelli
  4. Caldo Verde Portuguese Kale Soup
  5. Air Fryer Black Eyed Pea Dumpling Stew

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

This Week’s Best Posts and Pages

Exploring the Rich Waterways of Africa

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Around 5% of mainland Africa is covered by water, including lakes, rivers, estuaries, bays, straits, gulfs and other bodies of water.  Africa is home to some of the world's largest rivers and lakes, such as the Nile River and Lake Victoria. While up to 60% of Africa is classified as desert or drylands, a total volume of around 626.4 million cubic miles (2.616 billion cubic kilometers) of water surrounds Africa. The water resources of Africa play a vital role in supporting the continent's ecosystems, as well as the lives and livelihoods of millions of people who depend on them for drinking water, agriculture, energy generation, industry and commerce. Water is life Exploring the Rich Waterways of Africa: A Look at the Number and Diversity of Lakes and Rivers on the African Continent. Two oceans border Africa. The five major oceans of the world are the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. There are two oceans that border Africa - the Atlan
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What is the difference between ugali and fufu

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How to make the popular African recipes Ugali and Fufu and what is the difference.  Ugali is a starch dish in Kenya and Tanzania made of fine cornmeal cooked in boiling water into a soft dough. Fufu is a thick, dough-like West African food made by boiling then pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava or a mixture of starchy vegetables. The main difference between fufu and ugali is fufu is boiled first then pounded while ugali is simply boiled. Ugali recipe. Easy Ugali Recipe Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes Ingredients 4 cups finely ground cornmeal 8 cups water Directions Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Slowly pour cornmeal into boiling water stirring continuously. Add more cornmeal if necessary until it is thick as soft bread dough. Serve immediately with vegetables, stew, or any dish you would use a spoon with to soak up the sauce, ugali is purposely bland tasting on its own. What is the difference between ugali and
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Rising Above the Dust the World of Evala Wrestling

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Rising Above the Dust Exploring the Grueling Traditional World of Evala Wrestling. Evala is traditional wrestling that is a physically demanding sport that requires strength, agility, and skill. The Evala Wrestling Festival is an annual cultural festival that takes place in the northern region of Togo, particularly among the Ewe tribes of the Agni and Kabye people.  The Evala Festival is usually held during the months of June and July and is a celebration of strength, endurance, and bravery among young Agni and Kabye men.  Wrestling is a popular sport in Togo, particularly among the Kabye people, who are known for their strength and physical prowess.  There are many reasons why wrestling is so popular in Togo. Wrestling has been a part of the culture of many West African societies for centuries, and it is often seen as a rite of passage for young men.  Basic rules of traditional Evala wrestling. Matches are typically contested between two wrestlers of similar weight and age. The object
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Using Amen and Ashe or Ase

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Usage of Amen and Ashe or Ase Ashe to Amen learn about the custom of using the words Ashe and Amen historically. Where did the word Amen and Ashe come from why is it said and what does it mean? In Judaism, 3,500 years old and Christian religions 2,000 years old, Amen, means may it be so. In the African Yoruba language among the Yoruba people whose culture is as old as time, Ashe or Ase means may it be so. Ase or Ashe means power, commandment, and authority, the ability to make whatever one says happen from the spiritual to the physical realm. In the Yoruba language, Ashe is omnipresent spiritual energy. Followers of Judaism and Christian religions use the word Amen. It is the word utilized to end prayers as an affirmation for the requests to be provided by God. Yoruba is as old as time, Ashe refers to the life force within all living things, the spark that animates life. It is used as a term used in the same manner as Amen at the end of appeals and prayers as an affirmati
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African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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Be better than average and support African history and culture. Since 2008 Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet highlight Africa through her food and culture. Contact us culture1africangourmet@gmail.com

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