I just returned from Ghana where Divine Chocolate held its February board meeting. Whenever I make this trip, I’m always struck by the difference between what chocolate means to a cocoa farmer—and what it means to the rest of us.

On Valentine’s Day, chocolate is more than just a sign of affection. Chocolate helps us celebrate our best human trait—our capacity to love others.

But what does chocolate mean to a cocoa farmer in Ghana? If they’re a member of Kuapa Kokoo (the fair trade farmers cooperative that co-owns the Divine Chocolate brand), chocolate means no cheating.

It means not being cheated by cocoa buyers and traders, as cooperative members are well-versed in their rights as farmers.

It means not being cheated out of a better life and a brighter future. As the very first Fair Trade cocoa cooperative, Kuapa Kokoo has worked hard to not only better the lives of other farmers, but to strengthen other sectors as well—schools, health care, training programs, water.

It means not being cheated out of their say in the chocolate market. Since the farmers of Kuapa own their own brand, they can tell chocolate lovers about their hard work, their pride, their struggles, their triumphs. They can also articulate why trade terms are unfair and help mobilize the community to bring about change.

You may have noticed a lot of buzz in recent months with big brands offering more Fair Trade products, including Cadbury, Nestle and Green & Blacks. This is great news and should be celebrated. But so much more needs to be done. Smallholder cocoa farmers are still very poor in a very rich industry. Dignity, equality and fair partnerships with consumers and businesses must also be a priority. So let’s not just support ethical products, but businesses with ethical missions and a commitment to farmer empowerment, too.

-Erin Gorman, Divine Chocolate USA

Gorgeous bouquets of roses, mouth-watering candy hearts, romantic dinner reservations—and Fair Trade. There are so many ways that you can make Fair Trade a part of this Valentine’s Day, which is why February 14th holds a special place in our hearts at TransFair USA.

TransFair USA is a nonprofit, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. We enable sustainable development and community empowerment by cultivating a more equitable global trade model that benefits farmers, workers, consumers, industry and the earth. We achieve our mission by certifying and promoting Fair Trade products in over 60 countries around the world.

So how can you help? The Gifts of Fairness giving program allows you to give a gift that changes the world.

What’s Valentine’s Day without chocolate hearts? Now you can make them Fair Trade Certified chocolate hearts with heart-shaped bonbons from Divine Chocolate. Looking for a more seductive gift for your sweetheart? Check out Theo Chocolate’s Aphrodisiac Confection Collection.

Do you have a date to impress? Then pick up Theo’s Chocolate and Wine Pairing Kit. The kit comes with several varieties of Fair Trade Certified Theo chocolate and offers suggestions of great wine to pair it with. Buy a bottle of Fairhills Bus Stop Red and enjoy some great vino AND help build a school bus system for the children of over 800 farm employees in Mendoza, Argentina. Or pick up some Solombra Merlot and help buy bricks for the community hospital that is being built in the Famatina Valley of Argentina. Watch this video to learn more.

As it turns out, many Fair Trade Certified products are also common cupcake ingredients (sugar, coffee, chocolate). Look for sugar from Wholesome Sweeteners or Alter Eco at your local store or order online. And those that aren’t so common (roses, tea, bananas and honey) are potential components in exquisite recipes. Carefully selecting ingredients that are responsibly grown and traded ensures that each cupcake is Made with Love.

And last, but not least, flowers! Show that special someone in your life how much you care by giving her/him Fair Trade Certified flowers. The Fair Trade Certified label on your bouquet means that flower workers—most of whom are women—can put food on their tables, send their children to school, invest in community development, and use sustainable farming methods. Watch this video to learn more.

Prior to President Obama’s visit to Ghana, Divine Chocolate, a fair trade chocolate brand co-owned by Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Cooperative in Ghana, invited him to visit and see fair trade in action.

With a fifteen year record as a democratic farmer organization of 45,000 members, Kuapa demonstrates how a more equitable trading system can work and is an excellent example of cocoa farmers organized democratically to participate in shaping their own futures. It stands as a powerful example for other African producers, for industry initiatives and for policy makers.

While Obama didn’t make it to Kuapa, I was pleased that his speech to the Ghana parliament addressed two key ingredients for shaping a policy of fair and sustainable trade.

“Partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility”

Because 70% of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa, the fates of chocolate brands and cocoa growers are linked. A sustainable trade system must include a commitment to true partnership. Today the discussions about terms of trade – whether at the level of the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) or discussions with government and industry regarding issues of child labor and the cocoa sector — are conducted largely without democratic representation of cocoa farmers. Companies and policy makers interested in fair trade must insist on a fair say for cocoa farmers inside institutions that impact their lives.

“Africa’s future is up to Africans.”

A system of fair trade encourages farmers to decide for themselves how to invest in their future. Right now there is an incredible opportunity to build the capacity of cocoa farmers to become players in the global market. For example, the Gates Foundation has funded a $40 million Cocoa Livelihoods Program in West Africa. A measure of its success should be how well cocoa farmers are prepared to become equal participants in shaping the terms of trade, not merely how well does it prepare farmers to produce better cocoa.

But forging a system of fair trade isn’t simply up to Africa or the Obama administration. It requires the participation of individuals like you and me as well. It demands that we let companies and politicians know that paying fair prices is the minimum that should be done. It requires that we value empowerment of African producers and we measure companies and policy makers against their efforts on this front. To learn more about these issues and how you can get involved, go to: www.allafrica.com and www.africaaction.org.

-Erin Gorman, CEO of Divine Chocolate

Cadbury’s UK announced their intention this week to convert approximately 20% of their chocolate range to Fair trade, joining Divine Chocolate on a journey we started 10 years ago.

Seventy percent of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa. Big chocolate companies such as Cadbury’s have been sourcing from the region for a century. While Ghana cocoa has developed a global reputation for its quality, cocoa farmers remain poor and unable to access the true value of what they create.

Divine is delighted that Cadbury is joining us in saying that the current way of working is neither sustainable nor fair. Together we can create a step change, where the very least companies should do is pay a Fair Trade price for the ingredients they buy, and that anything less is just not acceptable.

Today is the 52nd anniversary of Ghana achieving independence from colonial rule. We wonder whether this anniversary marks another historic moment for West Africa. Is this the new era of fairness in the chocolate industry, of real partnership between chocolate brands and the cocoa farmers who help make chocolate great?

We believe that it will be so – with your support.

My challenge to you is this:

1. If you’re planning on purchasing chocolate, use your purchasing power to support Fair Trade for cocoa farmers. You can find a full list of Fair Trade chocolate brands at www.fairtradecertified.org
2. Ask for Divine Chocolate and other Fair Trade products whenever and wherever you shop.

And – I invite you to join in our celebration of this new age of fairness for cocoa farmers. Enter to win a gorgeous Divine Chocolate basket. Share it with your friends and family and ask them to join in and to make trade sweet for cocoa farmers!

-Erin Gorman, Divine Chocolate