COCOBOD STRENGTHEN TIES WITH MEDIA

Anthony Fofie – CEO, Ghana Cocobod

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday December 23, 2011.
As part of efforts to get the public to fully appreciate the immense contribution of the cocoa sector to the country’s economic growth, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has organized a two-day training for journalists to enable them to report appropriately on the sector.

Heads of the various units of COCOBOD took turns to explain exhaustibly to journalists activities and workings of their departments with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Anthony Fofie, capping the training with an advice to the media to help to sustain the cocoa industry as the backbone of the economy.

He said the cocoa sector has benefitted from an improved communication, allowing them to effectively disperse advanced agronomic massages about cultivating practices to cocoa farmers.

“Ghana prides itself as the benchmark quality of its cocoa, so it is tantamount for us to protect it from foreign, lower quality supplies.”

Mr. Fofie said one of the principal challenges facing the cocoa sector is ageing tree stock, saying “some trees have been producing for well over 30 years, and it is crucial that these are removed and replanted immediately.”

He said the ageing farmer population must also be tackled by introducing programmes that would attract the younger generation to the sector.

He also mentioned the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV) as a particular challenge to the sector as there is presently no serious cure available leaving them with no option than to remove and replant the infected trees.

Mr. Fofie promised Cocobod’s commitment towards ensuring that farmers are rewarded for their effort and also said Ghana will continue to maintain the enviable quality cocoa beans it has been producing over the years.

Bishop Kabutey, Principal Cocoa Research Officer at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) took journalists through research methods in the sector and said apart from cocoa, serious efforts are going on in the coffee, cashew, cola and shea areas.

He revealed that because the mechanical means of drying cocoa affect the quality of the beans, COCOBOD has been applying strict rules to ensure that the quality standards are not compromised.

Gifty Sosu from the Seed Production Unit (SPU) told journalists that about 16 million seedlings were distributed to farmers this year at highly subsidized rates and hoped to increase it in the coming years to enable more people have unhindered access to seedlings.

Thomas K. Osei, Deputy Managing Director (Operations) at the Quality Control Company Limited (QCCL), said they had harmonized their standards with all international bodies and were working to ensure that Ghana produces only good quality cocoa beans.

Antwi Adjei of the CSSVD Control Unit said preventing diseases in the cocoa sector has been an arduous task but added “with careful planning we are able to at least contain the diseases.”

“We have started restocking because about 23 per cent of cocoa trees are over 30 years and economically unproductive. We want to re-develop lands and get rid of all unproductive trees by replacing them with improved varieties.”

Taking journalists through the application of fertilizer, Dr. Solomon Acquaye, Deputy Manager (Cocoa Hi-Tech) said Ghana currently has about 1.6 million hectors of cocoa land but only 18 per cent has been captured under the fertilization programme.

“We are spreading and farmers are fast embracing the fertilization programme. With time we will cover most parts to boost cocoa production.”

The Director of Cocoa Disease and Pest Control Unit (CODAPEC), Obeng Adjinah said the re-introduction of the mass spraying exercise in 2001 has boost cocoa production significantly.

Vincent Akomea, Senior Manager at the Research Department of COCOBOD, said the board was dealing with the issue of child labour in a holistic manner.

C.K. Agyente Badu, speaking on the health benefits of the cocoa product, noted that cocoa has been the most useful plant for the health needs of the people and encouraged Ghanaians to use cocoa products, particularly the bitter cocoa.

Noah K. Amenyah, Public Affairs Manager, urged the media to help consolidate the image carved for Ghana’s cocoa.