The Ghanaian authorities have joined forces with the Japanese confectioner Ezaki Glico to establish the first-ever laboratory for the sensory and quality assessment of cocoa beans, as well as a training centre in Akyem Tafo, in the eastern region of the country. The two facilities, the first of their kind, are fully funded by Glico at a cost of US$170,000 and are expected to be completed within six months. This new project is in line with Ghana’s proactive approach, which has already entered into a partnership with the international economic development organization MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) to control the swollen shoot of cocoa, and is also in line with Glico’s philosophy of working directly with farmers, cooperatives and cocoa scientists around the world to provide the tools and training needed to produce the best cocoa in its class on a large scale. For Isaac Yaw Opoku, Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), « The ultimate goal is to improve our research on bean quality and build the capacity of all stakeholders along the value chain so that Ghana continues to serve the high quality chocolate and confectionery bean industry.