To effectively combat cocoa and farm input smuggling, the Board Chairman of Cocobod, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is calling for stronger collaboration with Regional Security Councils.
Speaking during a working visit to the Western Region, he expressed worry that Cocobod’s $5.8 million free input program is currently at risk as smugglers tempt farmers with quick cash.
Addressing key challenges facing Cocobod, Mr Ampofo stated that smuggling along the country’s borders remains a major concern as it has gone beyond cocoa beans to now include the illicit trade of farm inputs which Cocobod provides to farmers for free.
He said this year alone, Cocobod has supplied farmers with free inputs worth $5.8 million and warned that this significant investment is jeopardized when farmers bypass Cocobod and sell their cocoa to smugglers instead.
To combat this, he called for stronger collaboration between Cocobod and Regional Security Councils to help the security agencies better understand smuggling operations, track distributed farming inputs, and establish effective monitoring mechanisms.
“The main challenge we face is the issue of smuggling along the borders. Given that the Western Region shares a border with Côte d’Ivoire, you are confronted with the same difficulties we see in the Bono, Oti, and Volta regions not only the illegal export of cocoa but also the smuggling of farming inputs like fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides.
We have identified a significant gap in coordination and collaboration between Cocobod and the Regional Security Councils. In many cases, some regional ministers are not even acquainted with our cocoa regional managers. They often have no information about when inputs arrive or what types are distributed, which prevents them from establishing proper monitoring mechanisms to support our efforts.
Unfortunately, through our interactions with regional ministers during this tour, it has become clear that they have very limited awareness of our special services and operational activities. We are therefore working to bridge this gap to foster closer ties, so that regional leadership understands our work, and we, in turn, better understand the unique dynamics of each region.” He stated.
Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson who described the collaboration gap between Cocobod and the Regional Coordinating Councils as a critical challenge, stressed the importance of immediately bridging this divide.
“This challenge persists largely due to a long-standing information gap. As Regional Minister, I must admit my own understanding of Cocobod’s operations has been limited. That is precisely why this engagement is so vital. We must see the smuggling issue for what it is and commit to collaborative action.
Therefore, I strongly support the proposal to foster closer collaboration with the Regional Security Council. It is an essential step that will allow us to fully grasp the situation and respond effectively.” Joseph Nelson mentioned.
In a related development, Deputy CEO of Operations at Cocobod, Dr. James Kofi Kutsoati has revealed the reform of its cocoa inputs distribution system by transitioning corporatized groups into a task force model to enhance the control of cocoa diseases and pests.
“Previously, it seemed the Taskforce system had been abandoned in favor of the cooperative model. However, we believe the Taskforce system is more effective. It included key stakeholders such as the MMDCEs, farmer representatives, and cocoa service representatives, making it very difficult to divert any inputs. After reviewing the situation, we have decided to reinstate the Taskforce system to strengthen oversight.
Another issue that emerged involves the distribution of inputs to spraying gangs. We have received complaints from some farmers that they are not receiving these services. Since assuming office, Cocobod has been reviewing these operational challenges to ensure inputs and services are delivered as intended.”
