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on west africa's atlantic coast the former british colony of ghana became infamous for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and also for its abundant reserves of gold which is why the english called it the gold coast. the country is rich in role materials such as oil which was recently discovered in the region and above all coca. ghana is the world's 2nd biggest producer of coca bought despite the plentiful resources they rarely benefit god nations themselves. results from necessity common necessity for some people white gold has replaced yellow and all taming to get rich and many trying to survive. gonna means warrior king a fitting name that reflects the strength and resilience of its people. but i want

to buy a whole basket. they face a new battle every day. at dawn on lake volta the launches started fishel reservoir in the wild want to tax is put on to the banks. 3 times a week a transport isolated villages to the big markets in the town of top. this particular county seems to sense the getting on the boat isn't going to be an easy task. like and i'm going to sell my car at the market we're going to feel that way to get there. for the car but i've got no choice.

let's. count would have on down to the appreciated a rhyme but a ride in the fresh air is bound to calm it down. with the next day to. the boats maybe primitive but they are vital for the region's economy without them farmers would be trapped on that i am so. glad i'm not. going to let you know. that moron. i'm not up. to the man my basket so you can bring it to me

to want to thank you i thought i was young. and. not. everyone gets on to such boats any way they can they have no choice the ferries had too big to dock at the small patches of land although few of the passengers know how to swim i mainly use the lifejackets as power solves. everything is fine the lake is like a mill pond. where only watching the boats draft josephs the captain gets as much onto it as he can. i got a flock of i don't know actually how many people and animals there are my counted 4 cows and 4 sheeps.

what are the maximum is about 1015 comes and the maximum number of people i would say is 5250. but it's very dangerous. if we are unlucky and a storm it's one more in the middle of the lake. it's really dangerous because. i. was. after a 2 hour journey the water taxi arrives at top a market for the animals getting off the boat is a much more pleasant experience and getting off. a lot of. the passengers are badly off the boat when it heads back out to cross the lake.

at the top the market the scent of spices mingles with the aroma of freshly fried freitas. it's hard to ignore the smell of petrol and fish. i. met this pop array of sense one in particular is missing the center rived from a fruit founded every market store the cocoa fruit it santa doesn't dom fold until it has been processed. ghana is the world's 2nd biggest producer of coca hundreds of trucks transported across the country before it's exported all over the while.

in fact most locals like biko have never tasted it and. all people in this believe the all the google promised to do it all for example if you come at like cattle going to the farm easy to eat and. know what you're going to see some of the involved. some of the obama. they're juggling of all they do need to see if the middle people. in. the eco shuttles between dozens of warehouses

along the road he wants for the state which buys for most all the cocoa produced by the region's farmers. who. are going to kill is the reason i bought this 65 listen to that is the vocalist. with. cocoa sales represent 10 percent of ghana's gross domestic product but the locals rarely see any of the prop. it's in that day to day lives there. well i think.

that there's a. the roads leading to the warehouse is a rundown. ready to go because there's a lot in that god used various brains if you up to get to a dime and there would be because of. the would like to see if you don't do got the . last big look like to cut this wide. it's a vicious cycle if vico is late delivering the load he will lose part of his salary .

in the heart of the forest on the coco harvesters have to get a move on. i did the average. of the season is coming to an end i need to gather the remaining ponds the fruit that contains the cocoa beans before they rot on the trees. when i want to change could do the work as well as these men can but harvesting is an arduous task . they extract from polyps with machetes which i nicknamed go to hell.

8 is the pride of this country. and i'm going to tell you it's the best quality. other countries produce cocoa. but it's just not as good as in ghana where you got. it from here the cocoa will go to our. iraqi government and once there it will have to europe but i don't know what its final destination will be like this and i thought you. were right. oh. around 15 families from the cocoa trees in this small forest but in the past few years production levels have dropped.

the single crop farming of coca has sucked all the nutrients out of the soil the trees are growing old and there's no money to replace them nowadays every penny counts. the farm is situated close to the border with togo geoff sells his cocoa beans to whichever country bids highest. and to. that that is the border with toll roads around a kilometer from there it's the worst this year of the 1000 december togo is bringing one euro $0.37 a kilo gun owners paying one euro 16 friend but at the end of the month togo's prices have dropped to one euro $22.00 and gone as broad as growth so it was better sell to go. on this is dial down on the floor.

i'm going to load it onto a motorbike i'll take you to a minute oh my god why you putting it on a motorbike 100 years there's no path there's no road just tracks. and there's no road suitable for cars. but in a. very dangerous there are lots of accidents. normally the government should have built bridges but there are no bridges us so if you're not careful you'll have an accident and you don't think you're going to fall but then you do something on the up after it's about them it's about the effects it's. going to get the trip to the town on these old motorbikes can be very risky broken arms or legs are common although jeff's team hasn't suffered any fatalities yet. and. more room sadly maxwell was not so naki he died in

a car accident as he was delivering packs of cocoa beans to the town. his aunt precious is bringing his body back to the village in a coffin shaped like a coke ipod as a gesture of on a. funeral singing gonna fall from morbid to fast death is seen last as an end as the gateway to eternal life and his course was set up pressured. believe in the off to life it's important for families to. love and respect for the deceased to ease their journey to the other side. sometimes burials a large affairs just like the one today. that the whole village is taking part.

6 in the women prepare a traditional dish of corned topped with a spicy sauce. the it may seem shocking to some the body is dressed in finery and put on display before it is placed back in the coffin. but that was dead.

long maxwell's family firmly believes that he has simply moved on to another life in one form or another he will be more powerful than those still living so each of them comes to talk to him to win his favor. safe journey you'll be reunited with your brother. you'll be re. you know i should wish everyone there you'll be welcomed with open arms. good child will you do in your next line. after all i did for you you left me. wondering if that's true the. remaining. 3 sang everybody that you faced. serious today.

or not they must believe. that this is a young guy. and that's how the koran. kind says you can't stand. my child's body was preserved in a morgue for 4 months his family paid the equivalent of $300.00 euros for the coffee and an enormous sum for people here. discount some schoolchildren give him a final sendoff. that

often it's. because they find out that the whole family and i never want to have that i might find that it found. her there by the whole. time i don't. know what happened with that benefit them one at that time we were.

after a 2 hour long ceremony the coffin is taken to the cemetery. popped up again in. 7 the past are accompanied to maxwell's final resting place where his coffin is again welcomed with scenes of joy so he can begin his new life in happiness. i. think.

through the combination of things that. incessant beating of drums burial or precious his nephew is a frenzied affair. it's the wrong way to turn him this way. 7 up.

on the plantation away from the chaos of the burial jeff and his men head off to town to sell some of their last remaining banks of coke. the 10 men transporting 650 kilos of cocoa beans. none of them have a driver's license in any case navigating through the bush isn't something taught in driving schools.

it's a 50 kilometer long journey and all the drivers are alert they want to survive this journey. 2 hours across rough terrain take a tall man old motorbikes. over . and if there's a guy got to live your shift broken because the road is so bumpy. i'm gonna go out cannick and jaska. america in such bad shape it broke or is it because i got to

step on the sand on through this if there is that's just the kind of thing we have to put up with your shoes on the average razor. motorbike is back on the road they will have to put some of their profits from selling the cocoa towards the repair. the group is hoping to on around $100.00 euros which would make 10 euros passion. they've reached the final hurdle but it's not an easy one quality control carried out by the uncompromising joseph who buys cocoa for the government he's the one who sets the prices. messy. i want to. the days of the if the guy is good it least i can bite if you don't look good then oh it's not that i have to date. today

joseph appears to be very satisfied with the quality he pays jeff's team 200 euro 100 more than they were hoping for. with its massive deposits of minerals and oil ghana could be very rich but its economy still relies mainly on farming and fishing. making a living in these sectors is far from easy many call on higher power to help them get by. to get out of there with the lord we have come to our place of work this morning make your blood fall upon us and protect them said it was lord may destroy

part of the evil spirits from india i'm a. hero herds over their. budget my god will cast our heads over there where the birds are iraq. oh i was also out of here in direct competition with other boats so we have to cast our nets before they do i did not know about that they're on target i don't got out. got him one of them has already started fishing oh they're talking their nets too hard. they're too desperate. the crew had better hurry and 200000 boats are all competing off the conning coast

as a consequence fish stocks have steadily twin gold of the years. we who are the ones who will go to the one who. know little of the who. won't judge the low level role model guiding go get a move on. you don't want to return home empty handed ringback. you want to. he going to go out if you don't work you won't get paid about about. it after a manual is the quartermaster otherwise known as the head of the crew his job is to keep his men motivated. was i really. never really don't know about the fact that your. lover

a lot. of. women. for. the love. of the young. oh no no no no no i never will. not are not. very up so we have time to recast the net once more. we'll go. fishing one make these man millionaires have court around $100.00 kilos at the most mainly just small fish. the methods of some captains who use dynamite and pester science to turn quick

profits and forced bigger fish to retreat to deeper wharton's. long. beach dozens of women keeping an eye on the horizon. but they're not waiting for the hospitals to return for see. their fishmongers. in the morning and gather here to wait for the fisherman to come back it's the only work we can do to feed ourselves it also means i can send my children to school and you let me do that but i use.

the bound to be disappointed none of the 15 votes separate times with an impressive . bottle of the fishmongers begins because there isn't enough fish to go around. i want to buy the whole basket i'll give you what you know i want to basket for 2 i doubt what fish and i want some smelt that was nothing what surprised me setting them for. oh. i see well as how go and read by. the fishermen give us a price and we negotiate if they say $100.00 we suggest 15 out they say $200.00 we

said a 100 was not is to. go. after that what is that my basket you're filling up i'm going to have to load up the front to the brim and you've got to i'm going to smoke some of them and the others will be sultan dried in the sun. then sell them at the markets had. a lot of time for. smoking and salting the fish prevents it from having. to be refrigerated the fishmongers can preserve it in this way for a week maybe more. that's why some would say is vitally important in africa ghana has enjoyed a good reputation for its salt since the aids century i . drivers who transport cocoa and those who transport salt share the same

treacherous routes the same. kaunas so-called white gold is in demand and sold across the african continent. oh. oh but. i want to load up 2000 bags of salt. 50 to. keep a close eye on the go yet because of her see a problem something about i'm missing it i have to replace it. but at the end of my . what i might. go it's a dangerous trip sometimes robbers jump onto the truck and steal

a good many of the roads bump and you have to slow down there and climb out of the truck i didn't. but george has no choice he has to drive slowly on these poorly maintained roads. and. george is taking this delivery eastwards to the names 200 kilometers he and his truck have been dancing to the. all of the potholes as he puts it. don't go he only like we're dancing at a party because of the growth and what you saw how it was dancing at the wheel oh my god it doesn't do put out a little less because that roads are so badly damaged down through the broncos you know now that i think.

most coastal residents make a living from salt production i've got to get everywhere you look for salt even when the women who take it down into the ground they find salt tickle my budget but that. salt is one of the rare edible minerals found to an abundance and it's an unlimited resource that helps people living on the coast to survive. just because there's a lot of it doesn't mean it's easy to harvest. i think. not kids the men who delegate and share out the work and it's us women who have to dig for the salt. we're told on your on the men avoid doing it themselves because it's hard work in the morning but not knowing that you're no

work but there are. also it's us women who have to do it. i'm. going. to tell. you if you can do this all with your bare hands to get covered and so we're. all. in a that's why mine are in such a bad state shut down by use this tool to help. that gets me out of the wood and needles to break down the salt crystals. that have worked collecting salt for 20 years it's a really tough job. no one. can have awful leaks in pain so i have a bad back when i'm on a car but. my feet are crap to hard. to

train. and they are ruthless. that they're fed up i want nice looking selves to be able to resell it i have to spread it out and examine it so i thought if it doesn't look good i won't be able to sell it for the best price i. can't be mixed up with any scent. so when it's windy the sand mixes with the salt. that will melt. so is this one yours. i said i saw it for $200.00 no that's

too much that how much would you pay for it ok we have $100.00 said no the money no no deal oh no deal oh yeah oh come on please. i'm not compromising. my sources nice and white it's white but times are hard people just on by anymore i'll take it for one today but not this. 120 years enough. i'll turn him out. oh you know yesterday someone wanted for 150 no line no one question if you don't agree i'll go buy somewhere else ok all right i'm happy today my children and i will be able to eat will have 1st time exploring . over she bought everything off me and i have money to count up. here's the money. thank you for buying my salt may god bless you and protect you on your journey back. to. the equivalent of

21 europe's the money will last and her 2 children a week any animal she can catch a supplement to them eels. help or much about this is my house it's where i live all my riches are here. who a demo will i make everything must. with my own hands these buckets are mine i got them out on whether i can find secrets to one side for funerals. or actually we look at that. now we shall.

now show that there are. only hands or damage from the hard work i do dos. is starting to look like the hands of a liberal. now i think i feel like. but john always tries to keep a smile on her face a monster she says is you can't wear down an axe by slicing k'naan. in other words anything is possible with a bit of will power and not something that can names appear to have an ample supply no matter how obvious the task. george and his assistants are now being dancing in their truck. through

it i like my job. i was just going to do it. my dad taught me to drive. my driving since i was young. when i was 12 i could already drive been the gonna vote mccain a fossil i republished molly nigeria easy area. all these years of driving have taught george patience lots of it especially when it comes to crossing borders. about this that we have to go and check in. here george and his assistant to arrive in a town on the border with togo. it

will be defeated by the customs officers will check the goods dish for that area they want to check that stuff hasn't gone off and won't make people sick either but if it was that set up what if. the saw level was that. george takes his place among the hundreds of other trucks waiting to be inspected some of been stuck here for weeks the customs officers walk at their own pace as drivers wait patiently 5 along it may take everything will get to where it needs to get. back into cocoa plantation jeff is also preparing to go to tokyo he's located much closer to the border and so he's making the journey on foot. with the 50 move left

little you know. 1000. these are the last few bags i'm going across the border i need to see if a forensics that's a currency managed in the village i want to go to i needed that is that i'm taking the last few bags to sell them this year the quality of the cocoa isn't good at will be spoiled or the rain that ruined all the cocoa that's a cool so that. these cocoa beans and good enough to be sown to kanye and buyers but in turn go jeff names a trader who doesn't scrutinise goods to tharani. said the thunder of the village is an hour's walk away carrying the cocoa on our heads. this is when we arrive at the border will cross or head to the front. for the

carriers it's a far from gentle stroll. around 30 kilos oh my hands. so as i want out if i thought of this another little bridge that marks the border that i may not have crossed the border but i'm not gonna do a go now we're in togo so once you cross it you're into it with the world so now i've made it and i just. can't go or oil gold and other mineral resources could make on a one of the world's fastest growing economies. instead it's gone man's described that country as a sick child. who has only recovered because of the tenacity of its workforce.

any need. to. lean. connected by children in india. used on mass by cosmetics companies. my god is only all material that's mine in highly risky conditions. combining business with conscience it's a balancing act for the manufacturing industry. global 3000. and 30 minutes on d w. africa. love and warmth is the way to save

listen endangered species. can bills are threatened by environmental destruction. a south african project tries to protect the baby birds lovingly rearing them by hand. but there's nothing to stop nature from calling eco africa. 90 minutes on d w. boy or. girl who could have. been sure that it was already out. in support of. what the david was able. to deliver.

blame. blame. blame. blame. this is d. w. news live from berlin president donald trump preparing for the state of the union address it's likely the last of his current term and he is expected to towns his franker on the economy ahead of the senate voting to decide his fate later on wednesday. i'm called aspen thanks for joining us welcome to our special cover.