The International Cocoa Conference Organization (ICCO) has awarded Ghana’s 2013 National Best Cocoa Farmer, Opanyin Abraham Adusei, for his outstanding contributions to the cocoa industry worldwide.

The award presentation took place at the just-ended three-day conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on the theme “Sustainable World Cocoa Economy, Mapping Progress Along the Road,” and was attended by over 1,400 participants from all over the world.

Presenting the award, the Executive Director of ICCO, Dr Jen-Marc Anga, expressed his appreciation to all cocoa farmers in the world for their unwavering support for the sustainability of the cocoa industry and the value chain at large.

A citation accompanying the award read “ICCO to Opanyin Abraham Adusei, National Best Cocoa Farmer 2013 in Ghana, as a representative to all cocoa farmers in the world in recognition of your outstanding contribution to the sustainability of the global cocoa sector”.

Opanyin Adusei who is also the General Superintendent of the Saviuor Church of Ghana, in his acceptance speech, said he was proud to be a Ghanaian, and that his award and recognition was ultimately for Ghana.

He said although it was in recognition of hard working cocoa farmers across the world, he believed Ghana had taken the lead and had contributed its quota to the cocoa industry worldwide.

Opanyin Adusei noted that moving the cocoa sector forward towards sustainability was not only a challenge to farmers, “but carries with it the unique opportunity for all to play their roles in shaping the future of the cocoa industry”.