Dr Ahia Clottey
Deputy Executive Director of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ahia Clottey, has implored the media to work closely with the institution to facilitate the growth and sustenance of the industry which has served as the backbone of Ghana’s economy for decades.
According to him, it’s imperative for all citizens to ensure that policies are implemented to sustain the cocoa industry.
Addressing the media during roundtable discussions in Accra, Dr Clottey said COCOBOD is concerned about the wanton destruction of cocoa farms in the Western North, Ashanti and Eastern Regions for rubber plantations and other cash crops by land owners.
He appealed to traditional rulers and owners of lands in those regions not to cut down cocoa trees for any other reason apart from the rehabilitation of aged and diseased cocoa farms by officers of the COCOBOD.
Dr Clottey reiterated COCOBOD’s commitment to continuously educating people about the importance of the cocoa industry and its importance to the country’s economy.
Touching on climate change, Dr Clottey disclosed that COCOBOD, in collaboration with the UNDP and other partners, had initiated an environmental sustainability programme and policy for cocoa production to create institutional systems, tools and policies to rehabilitate the cocoa landscape.
According to him, the programme is also meant to conserve and expand forest buffer zones and corridors and incentivize cocoa farmers to adopt environmentally friendly practices.
On cocoa road, the COCOBOD Deputy Director said plans were underway to restart the project, which is expected to be slightly different from the previous one.
The programme, which was organized under the auspices of the Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association (GARDJA), was held on the theme: “Sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa industry.”
President of GARDJA, Richmond Frimpong, called on COCOBOD to support calls by the association for a law to be enacted to protect cocoa trees in the country.
“Since the smuggling of cocoa from the country is criminal, it does not make sense for trees that bear the pods to be destroyed in a wanton manner,” Mr. Frimpong added.
By Ernest Kofi Adu