The Acting President of the Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Council, Nana Ofori Ahenkan II, has urged the government to take decisive steps to make farming more appealing to farmers and to the younger generation whose interest in agriculture continues to fade.
Speaking during the visit of the COCOBOD Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, to the Western North Region, Nana Ahenkan expressed deep worry over the challenges confronting cocoa farming communities.
He said farming must be made rewarding enough to motivate the youth, who increasingly shy away from the sector due to poor incentives and the hardships faced by their parents.
Nana Ahenkan also issued a strong call for reforms within the COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme.
According to him, the initiative, originally designed to support children of cocoa farmers, has been taken over by privileged individuals who have no direct ties to cocoa farming. This, he stressed, has left many deserving cocoa farming families without the support intended for them.
The COCOBOD Chairman’s regional tour included engagements with farmer groups and the Regional Security Council, and other stakeholders focusing on the growing menace of cocoa smuggling.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo warned that the practice is draining the country’s economy and undermining the sector’s growth.
He further revealed that Ghana’s cocoa production has fallen drastically to 450,000 metric tonnes, pushing the country from its long-held position as a global leader to fifth place on the world ranking.
He called for stronger collaboration between cocoa stakeholders and security agencies to curb smuggling and revive production.
His visit called for renewed policy reforms and targeted interventions to protect the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and restore Ghana’s dominance in the global cocoa industry.
