Youth in cocoa programme yields results
The Youth in Cocoa Programme established by COCOBOD to attract more youth into cocoa farming is yielding results.
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Following the initiative, 46,500 people from 32 youth associations are now engaged in full-time cocoa cultivation.
The groups, spread across cocoa growing areas in the country, are receiving both technical support and farming tools from Cocobod to enable them to cultivate large tracts of cocoa farms.
The programme is intended to get the youth to replace the aged cocoa farmers to sustain cocoa production and also earn decent incomes.
The deputy executive Director in charge cocoa of health and extension division of Cocobod, Rev Emmanuel Ahia Clottey, made this known at the 4th annual general delegates conference and premium payment ceremony for Kookoo Pa, a farmer association at Nyinahin in the Antwima-Mponua District in the Ashanti Region.
Presentation
The various farmer groups at the ceremony received a total of GH¢510,655 as premium for producing cocoa under “certification” conditions for the 2015/2016 cocoa season.
The money was payment for 2,350 metric tonnes or 37,600 bags of cocoa.
Premium payment is different from the actual price of the cocoa that is bought. It is an amount paid to farmers for adopting sustainable farming practices devoid of the use of child labour.
Two foreign companies, Euromar and Ferrero, which purchase cocoa from Kookoo Pa, paid GH¢293,355 and GH¢217,300, respectively, for the produce.
Findings
Rev. Clottey explained that the programme had become necessary because a research finding had indicated that the average age of cocoa farmers in the country was 55.
He said it was on account “of this finding, that the youth are being encouraged to venture into cocoa farming, since it is lucrative and also has prospects”.
Rev. Clottey appealed to chiefs and landowners to release lands under flexible terms for the youth who have exhibited great enthusiasm for cocoa farming.
He further appealed to the people not to engage in illegal mining (galamsey), since it is not only detrimental to their heaith but the environment.
Certification
An official of Transmar Group, an organisation that links local cocoa farmers with their international clients, Mr Alex Gyedu, urged the farmers to follow the certification process religiously in order to gain higher yields on their farms.
He further advised them against engaging children on their farms, a practice he described as condemnable.
Mr Gyedu said both Act 138 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Act 560 (1998) of the Children’s Act of Ghana, frowned on the use of children for hard labour since it could affect their health, wellbeing and education.
Cocoa beans
The Chief Executive Officer of Kookoo Pa, Mr Fred Amponsah, said the association was benefiting from a cocoa livelihood project funded by the World Cocoa Foundation and Transmar.
Under the project, farmers are assisted to increase cocoa production, ensure household food security and train in other income-generating ventures.
Mr Amponsah announced that the association was able to give out 882,720 cocoa seedlings for distribution to farmers as replacement for withered or over-aged cocoa trees. In addition, he said 3,900 bundles of improved cassava sticks were shared among the farmers.
