Ghana's farmers have been educated for decades by agricultural extension workers about the best ways to manage and protect their cocoa trees from pests and diseases without using lots of chemicals and sprays. The agricultural extension workers are in turn backed up by continuous research carried out at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana-Tafo, where new cocoa hybrids are developed using forastero and trinitario stock. There are two cocoa harvests each year. The main crop season begins in October and ends in February, while the smaller crop season is May to August. After it is harvested, the cocoa is gathered and carried to the farmer's home where the golden pods are cut open and the beans are scooped out and piled in a heap on clean banana leaves.
More banana leaves cover the heap to keep it clean and warm.
Every other day the farmers stir the heap of beans until 5 to 6 days have past. This step is essential in helping bring out the flavor of the cocoa.