Renowned Ghanaian farmer and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ABOCFA Cooperative, Stephen Ashia, has been crowned ‘Ghana's Most Outstanding Personality’ in Fair-trade and Organic Agriculture at the just-ended Business Executive Excellence Awards 2024 held at the Ghana Marriot Hotel in Accra.

The award reflects his stunning leadership qualities and exceptional dedication to providing quality healthcare in the country and also for being an extremely respected personality advocating for best business practices in the sector.

The 10th edition of the event, held on Friday, June 28th, 2024 seeks to identify and publicly recognise private enterprises, public institutions and individuals that have displayed exemplary conduct and extraordinary accomplishment in their areas of business over the past year.

For him, the honour authenticates the company's continuous growth and contribution to Ghana’s agriculture sector and the economy at large.

Speaking to the media, the CEO of ABOCFA Cooperative, Stephen Ashia expressed his profound gratitude to the organisers for the recognition.

According to him, the company started from a humble beginning but has now expanded and chalked great achievements.

"The award means a lot to my consistent determination to build a formidable brand across the globe".

Profile of Stephen Ashia (CEO of ABOCFA Cooperative)

Stephen Ashia is the General Manager of ABOCFA Cooperative where they produce organic and fair-trade cocoa beans for export.

He has been the manager and a farmer since 2011 and has helped the cooperative to become a global organic and fair-trade producer.

With no employees at the beginning, today ABOCFA has employed 33 permanent staff. Again, he has instituted Service providers for 45 temporary staff to provide pruning, weeding and spraying services at a fee, where farmers pay part, and the cooperative also pays the remaining fees for the service providers.

Stephen has also helped in the construction and renovation of 7 schools within the catchment area and in addition, the installation of computer laboratories with projectors and screens to facilitate effective teaching and learning.

He has constructed a canteen for 5 schools, and all the schools have received mowers to tidy up their compounds.

He has carried out several initiatives in education and health and provided mechanized boreholes, a market and others to support various communities.

He is the Vice President of Ecoland Ghana and part of Ecoland Germany. He has influenced Ecoland to support ABOCFA in organic Ginger production which started in 2023.

Again, he is the CEO of AWENCOFA, Golden Bean, and AYOCOFA Organic Cocoa Cooperatives which produces and ships organic cocoa to clients all over the world, including Taza Chocolates, Uncommon Cacao, Kul Chocolates, TCHO, all in the USA.

They also supply organic and fairtrade cocoa beans to Tony's Chocolonely (Netherlands), Felchlin (Switzerland), Daarnhouwer (Amsterdam), Cargill (Belgium) and other clients.

He is also the CEO of Go Green Environmental and Sustainability Consult, which undertakes consultancy for Rainforest Alliance, Kuapa Union, Fanteakwa Union, Three Mountains and other clients.