Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive (CE) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has engaged and sensitised farmers in some selected Cocoa growing Communities in the Ashanti region on good practices and methods of Cocoa farming towards increased productivity.
The CE visited farmers’ groups in the Antoakrom, Obuasi and Adansi Asokwa and other surrounding communities.
He stated that concerns of farmers are very vital for COCOBOD, hence the priority to interact with them to unravel their concerns and address their challenges.
According to him, the Cocoa industry is the backbone of Ghana’s economy and that farmers must be supported and motivated to increase yield to contribute their quota to the economic growth of the country while taking care of their families.
The CE also sensitised the farmers on the type of soil suitable for growing Cocoa and advised them to desist from growing Cocoa on soil that is sandy, gravel or clay, suggesting that the best soil for Cocoa production was loamy soil.
Boahen Aidoo reminded farmers to notify the extension officers before venturing into the ploughing of the soil for the right seedlings and entreated the farmers to desist from the use of banned weedicides that could destroy micro-organisms in the soil.
He also tasked the farmers to prioritise pruning to enhance sunlight and the penetration of air into the farm to enhance high yield production.
He disclosed that the COCOBOD has registered all farmers and their families and issued with unique card number and urged them to vote for Dr Mahammud Bawumia, the Vice President and Flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to enable him roll out the free Tertiary Education and Scholarships to wards of Cocoa farmers as a sequence of the Senior High School.
