Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Chief Executive of COCOBOD, has called on the youth engaging in cocoa farming to accept and adopt modern agronomic practices for increased yields and incomes.

They should also adopt sustainable farming practices which focuses on environmental preservation to ensure sustainable and quality cocoa production as they took over from the aged cocoa farmers.

In a speech read for him at a youth in cocoa conference in Kumasi, Mr Aidoo pledged the COCOBOD’s readiness to assist them with technical and extension services as well as quality high yielding seedlings and appropriate chemicals.

The conference, which was held under the theme: “the youth as agents of transformational change in the cocoa landscape of Ghana”, was organized by the Next Generation Cocoa Youth programme (MASO).

It aimed at creating a platform for the youth in cocoa farming to interact and engage key stakeholders in the sector towards innovative actions that would help address some of the challenges in sustainable cocoa production.

MASO is a five-year programme being supported by the MasterCard Foundation, to create jobs in the cocoa sector for the youth and it is being implemented in the Western, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Volta and Central regions.

It is being implemented by a consortium of partners including Solidaridad West Africa, Ashesi University, Fidelity bank, Opportunity Savings and Loans Ghana Limited, Aflatoun and the COCOBOD.

Mr Aidoo said the primary objective of government is to help the youth to venture into cocoa production as an entrepreneurial activity which needed to be managed as a profitable business.

COCOBOD, he said, was in support of the government’s efforts to diversify cash crop production and would encourage the commercial cultivation of other potential cash crops in cocoa-growing areas.

He pledged COCOBOD’s resolve to make cocoa farming a lucrative business to attract more youth in order to increase cocoa production in a sustainable manner in the Country.

Madam Suzan-Hermina Yemidi, Country Representative for Solidaridad West Africa, said the MASO programme has helped to train over 4,300 youth within the first two years of its implementation, adding that, 2,000 youth were currently under training.

She said the programme was a unique opportunity for the youth to be empowered and ensure not only their future security, but that of the cocoa industry as well.

Mr Isaac Kwadwo Gyamfi, Regional Director of Solidaridad, said there is the need for the youth to be innovative and adopt sustainable practices that would help transform cocoa production in the country.