A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of phase two of WCF’s Cocoa Livelihood Programme (CLP) was on Friday signed between the Ministry of Food & Agriculture (MoFA) and the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF).

The CLP programme, which began in 2009, operates currently in West Africa’s four cocoa-producing countries- Ghana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

It aims at increasing farm-level cocoa productivity to 1,000kg/hectare, improving service delivery, access to planting materials, fertilizer and agrochemicals, as well as enhancing farmer resiliency through the production of food crops.

Scheduled to end in February 2018, it has a total funding of $70 million over a 10-year period.

The agreement would cover activities expected to reach more than 60,000 cocoa-growing households in Ghana.

Suzanne Ngo-Eyok, Director CLP Two, said the programme had already successfully mobilized chocolate and cocoa companies to actively engage with the cocoa farmers and increase direct investment in selected cocoa farming communities.

The WCF is a non-profit international organization, representing more than 110 members.

WCF’s regional programme is being funded from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Walmart Foundation, the Dutch Sustainable Initiative IDH and 15 chocolate and cocoa companies, which are members of WCF.

In Ghana, the programme involves Mondelez International, Noble Resources and The Hershey Company.

The CLP will afford cocoa-producing households in Ghana the opportunity to produce food crops.

Fiifi Kwetey, Minister, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said through the MoU, WCF, which has a long-standing relationship with the Ghana Cocoa Board, was expanding its partnership base with government institutions to include a focus on food crops.

He observed that the programme would link MoFA’s food crop technical experts to WCF member companies in Ghana, provide technical assistance in curricula development and training activities, as well as the conduct of assessments in training.