The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has secured a $100 million financing facility from the World Bank to rehabilitate old farms across six cocoa-growing districts in the country, namely Assin Fosu, New Edubiase, Nkawkaw, and Juaso.
This four-year project aims to cut down cocoa trees over 20 years old, prepare the land, and provide planting materials, including seedlings and plantain suckers.
Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, CEO of COCOBOD, announced the initiative during a field trip to farms in Assin Fosu on July 4, 2024. He explained that although the trees being cut down are not diseased, they have outlived their productive lifespan, resulting in no fruit, pods, or flowers, making maintenance unproductive.
The project will provide farmers with plantain suckers, labor for planting, and support from extension officers to ensure optimal farm management and yields. Aidoo emphasized that without comprehensive support, farmers would struggle to achieve the desired outcomes.
He also referenced a similar past project supported by the African Development Bank under the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, aimed at combating Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD).
During the visit, farmers urged the government to improve roads in cocoa-growing areas to facilitate produce transportation and reduce post-harvest losses. They also requested more extension officers, as their training and assistance have been beneficial.
Nana Kweku Appotoi IV, Aboabohene of Assin Nyankomase, highlighted the poor road conditions and called on COCOBOD to address this issue. He also committed to preventing illegal mining on cocoa farms and encouraged farmers to adopt best practices and share knowledge with others.
In response, Aidoo mentioned that the government plans to allocate funds to fix roads in cocoa-growing communities following recent cocoa price hikes. He advised farmers on soil management, avoiding harmful weedicides, and using organic materials like poultry manure. Since 2020, COCOBOD has procured motorized slashers and pruners to help clear cocoa farms and boost production, encouraging farmers to access these tools from district offices.
COCOBOD has improved the extension officer-to-farmer ratio from one-to-3,000 to one-to-600, nearing the FAO international standard of one-to-500.
Norvanreports