The Deputy Regional Extension Manager of Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Mr. Samuel Ankamah has implored cocoa farmers to fully embrace the new COCOBOD interventions being implemented by COCOBOD.

Mr. Ankamah made the call when was addressing cocoa farmers at a rally held at Manhyia in the Dadiesoaba district of the Brong Ahafo region.

Mr. Ankamah reiterated that the new COCOBOD interventions which include Cocoa Farm Rehabilitation, Hand Pollination, Cocoa Farms Irrigation programme, Cocoa Disease and Pest Control as well as Free Hybrid Seedlings Distribution Exercise, Subsidized Fertilizer Programme and Cocoa Consumption could directly increase production and improve the sector.

He bemoaned the cocoa sector challenges as directly linked to cocoa crop diseases and over aged trees which require farmers to fully make use of good agronomic practices (GAPs).

Mr. Kenneth Osei Ampofo, Public Affairs Officer of COCOBOD added that the drastic fall in cocoa price on the world market has been devastating for the cocoa industry and there was the need to increase production to make up for the loss in cocoa revenues.

He explained that one of the ways to reduce the continuous fall in world cocoa price as identified by the Board was to locally process at least 50% of Ghana’s production for export and also to increase local cocoa consumption.

Nana Osei Adusa, the district cocoa farmer advised farmers to see farming as a business venture and commit the needed funds to improve and sustain their investment.

He challenged cocoa farmers not to wait for government and COCOBOD’s support at all times but to take the initiative by getting inputs from their own resources to apply them on their farms timely to tackle cocoa farm challenges.