THE GHANA Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the living standards of farmers through the planting of various productivity and income-driven initiatives geared towards building a robust cocoa sector.
A speech read on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, at the 4th Ghana Cocoa Dinner event held in Accra recently, mentioned that one of the fundamental challenges faced by farmers in the cocoa sector was insufficient income from the crop.
According to him, the decent income of cocoa farmers meant a lot as it provided good meals for their children, good education, and easy access to labour and inputs, among other parameters, critical to improving their standard of living.
“When farmers get the remunerative cocoa price, they become more economically independent, socially responsible, and environmentally conscious and approach their cocoa farming activities sustainably.
“In enhancing the income of farmers, the board wishes to restate that it will not bow to the incessant pressure from saboteurs of their efforts, particularly, the Living Income Differential (LID) pricing mechanism which Ghana, Ivory Coast, and lately, Nigeria have agreed to adopt in selling our cocoa beans.
“We have used several platforms to make a case for this new pricing mechanism since 2018 when the idea of improving upon the impoverished condition of cocoa farmers was birthed. However, it appears many of the trade houses and other agencies are thwarting our efforts at achieving the full realisation of the LID,” he mentioned.
Mr. Boahen further called on the cocoa value chain actors to collectively support the fight against illegal mining in cocoa growing areas by joining the sensitisation campaigns on engaging farmers on the economic, nutritional, and health benefits derived from cocoa cultivation.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Decent Income For Sustainable Cocoa Production,’ the Executive Director, Cocoa Post, and Ghana Cocoa Dinner, Kojo Hayford, added his voice to the clarion call by Ghana and Ivory Coast demanding a decent income for cocoa farmers.
“Our unsung heroes deserve more than the meager portion they get from the estimated $ 130 billion worth global cocoa and chocolate industry. We want to pledge that we will use our platform (thecocoapost.com) to rally behind the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Cocoa Initiative until its full aim of bettering the lots of cocoa farmers is realised.”
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke