The National Association of Cocoa Farmers has issued a dire warning, stating that the cocoa industry may go extinct in five to ten years if government officials do not solve the problems it faces.
Cocoa is a key export commodity for Ghana
According to Stephenson Anane Boateng, President of the Association, communities that grow cocoa face significant challenges as a result of the practice of illegal mining, or galamsey, including increased water pollution, competition for land, particularly from illegal miners, and decreased cocoa production.
He lamented that the difficulties faced by cocoa farmers in controlling weeds, pests, illnesses, and aged cocoa trees were having a detrimental effect on their earnings and way of life.
According to data made available by the COCOBOD, smuggling and illicit gold mining activities resulted in the loss of about 150,000 metric tonnes of cocoa during the 2022–2023 growing season. Additionally, about 500,000 hectares of cocoa farmlands were devastated by the cocoa-swollen shoot virus.
He emphasized that the nation’s government have not taken action to address the problems, and he questioned why the cocoa growers are not given more authority to assist in resolving the issue.
The Association claimed that successive governments have failed to address their problems, despite the government claiming to have launched initiatives to address the production challenges, such as a farm rehabilitation program and cooperative initiatives with security agencies to combat smuggling.
“All the different sectors receive the resources and assistance they require to improve their work. But the cocoa industry has received little attention. Because of the circumstances, cocoa planting is no longer desirable, and our youth have no interest in it. They falsely claim that we are selling our lands to illegal miners.
“The cocoa industry isn’t doing well anymore. I think that we won’t have a cocoa sector to be proud of in the next five years. Hopefully, it will continue for the next ten years.
“All of today’s youth have participated in galamsey events. The CEO of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, will dismiss our concerns when we bring them up. We are facing a crisis, and it is our responsibility as Ghanaians as a group to discuss and resolve the problems.
He batted down the GHC942 million farm investment, emphasizing that “COCOBOD keeps making losses.” Please read the Auditor General’s report and let me know if the investments in farms that he said they had made are real.
He said to Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Kwabena Agyapong, host of Frontline, “Ghana now belongs to politicians, so when you raise serious issues, they don’t address them.”
“They come here to make money, and when they go, they have fun and cause issues for us and their family. However, it is up to us Ghanaians to stand up, speak out, and demand that they address these issues.
Other stories
-
The director of GPHA said that several investors are interested in building the Keta Port project.
-
How to promote your small Business online for fast sales
-
Permit them to indulge in lobster! France gave King Charles a state dinner that cost more than $500,000.
-
Attitude marketing: It’s importance and how to make good use of it
-
Discover the best passive income to attain in 2024
