The Cocoa Heritage Festival has been launched at the Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm and Exhibition Centre at Mampong Akuapem in the Eastern Region.

The event, the maiden edition was organized by the Mampong Akuapem Traditional Authority in collaboration with the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly.

It was under the theme "Celebrating the Golden Bean- Cocoa's Legacy and Future in Ghana".

Launching it, Osabarima Kwame Otu Darte III, "cocoa chief", said the cocoa tree which was planted in Mampong over a century ago has brought greater dividends to Mampong and the country at large.

Sharing a brief historical account of the crop, he said a Ghanaian by name John Kwame Ayo travelled to England where he sold the first bag of cocoa for one pound after which the crop spread out to different locations.

In a welcome address, Nana Akua Perbea I, Queen Mother of Mampong said following the return of Tetteh Quarshie from Fernando Po, now Equatorial Guinea, to Ghana, he established the first Cocoa farm in Mampong Akuapem which became nursery where cocoa farmers obtained seedlings for planting.

She said its legacy is the cocoa bean that has today become the backbone of Ghana's economy with funds from cocoa being used to support infrastructure development in the country.

She indicated that following Tetteh Quarshie's pioneering work in commercial cocoa planting, the industry expanded throughout the nation's forest regions and is now one of the most extensively grown cash crops in the country.

Farmers, she said, are assured of increased yield all year round with the introduction of hybrid cocoa seedlings and adherence to modern agronomic procedures as cocoa pods grow and ripen throughout the year.

"It is recognized that cocoa is the backbone of the country, contributing significantly to the nation's Gross Domestic Product and generating about $2 billion in foreign exchange each year.

She stated that it is worth celebrating cocoa in Ghana to recognize the invaluable role it plays in the country's economy, culture and global significance as a major producer and exporter of the precious commodity.

According to her, the cocoa heritage festival in Mampong Akuapem would serve as a platform to distinguish and celebrate the significance of cocoa in the town's history as the birthplace of cocoa in Ghana, and Ghana as the highest cocoa-growing country in the world.

One major objective of the cocoa heritage festival, she emphasized, was to preserve the historical account of the introduction of cocoa in Ghana.

Furthermore, she said it was to celebrate the contribution and hard work of cocoa farmers in the country and honour their dedication to cocoa production.

Barima A. S. Asiedu-Larbi, Akuapem North Municipal Chief Executive said, "Thanks to the exploits of Tetteh Quarshie under whose tireless efforts cocoa has become a priceless commodity to our nation becoming the mainstay of Ghana's economy."

He said the festival has come to stay adding that after the formal launch, it would be celebrated every year with all the pomp and fashion it deserves.

According to him, Akuapeman was endowed with so many tourist sites, saying that the cocoa museum was one of such significant tourist attraction locations the area can boast of.

Mr. Larbi said the festival, which would be celebrated in July would attract key individuals and distinguished personalities from all walks of life across the country in attendance.

He said there would be an exhibition of the various cocoa products adding that it would be a learning experience for all to attend such an event.

He added that all well-meaning Ghanaians were invited to the grand maiden public event.

He indicated that on that defining day, a tour would be made to the Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Museum to have a first-hand view of the original cocoa tree planted by Tetteh Quarshie.

"This cocoa heritage festival would be a festival that would be celebrated on a yearly basis by the whole country in Mampong Akuapem," he said.

Nana Amanor Ntiamoah Gyan II, Kyedomhene bemoaned the state in which cocoa lands have been destroyed by galamsey operators and called on government to reinforce measures to clamp down on such illegal activities.

He said this would boost and sustain the industry to a greater extent.