Cocoa Abrabopa urges COCOBOD to strengthen productivity

Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA), a farmer-based organisation, has held its12th annual general meeting in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, with a call on government and COCOBOD to strengthen productivity enhancement programmes.

It urged COCOBOD, the industry’s regulator, to ensure timely release and distribution of subsidised inputs to farmers while initiating a more concerted effort to combat galamsey activities in cocoa-growing regions.

Council Chairman of the association, Ismail Pomasi, explained that persistent delays in releasing the seed fund from COCOBOD to Licenced Buying Companies (LBCs) needs to have a re-look, as it is contributing to the collapse of indigenous LBCs.

He disclosed that though the 2023/2024 cocoa season commenced three months ago, local LBCs are yet to receive seed funds from COCOBOD to enable them buy cocoa beans. This, he lamented, is worrying.

The 12th annual general meeting brought together over 4,000 cocoa farmers from the country’s five cocoa-growing regions.

Presentation

Updating shareholders on the association’s performance for the year 2022 at the AGM, Council Chairman of the association, Ismail Pomasi, indicated that the association remains the biggest farmers’ gathering in Ghana and provides a platform for the council to account for its stewardship for the period under review.

“Cocoa Abrabopa is committed to improving the lives of cocoa farmers through appropriate and sustainable socioeconomic interventions. Therefore, in our quest to improve premium payments to beneficiary members, we introduced a digital payment system (MoMo) in both 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons. It offered us an opportunity to make bulk payments to members within the shortest possible time in a more transparent manner,” he stated.

He added: “We have further introduced the living income sustainability initiative for economic development of members; their households and communities remain the surest blueprint for cocoa sustainability. It is for this reason that CAA has partnered with one of our finest customers, Alfred Ritter GmbH – a chocolate manufacturer of the Ritter Sport brand chocolate products – to undertake varied degrees of interventions ranging from an easy transport system for moving cocoa beans from farms, farming equipment and inputs, access to potable drinking water, and on-farm additional livelihoods to improve the living conditions of members at Ritter Sport designated areas”.

He mentioned that since launching the initiative in 2022, a combined total of 22 tricycles, 30 units of Solo mist-blowers, 4 mechanised boreholes with washroom facilities, an agrochemical inputs shop and 2 start-up packages for snail-farming have been deployed and delivered to beneficiary groups in operational areas – including Bogoso, Tarkwa Aboso, Bonsa and Amantin, all situated in the Western South Cocoa Region of Ghana.

“To our members in other regions, I do not want to give assurances but discussions are far advanced with other customers to replicate this living income model in your various jurisdictions,” he added.

Wilfred Apiung, Sustainability Manager at the association, articulates that their objective is to enhance the livelihoods and incomes of cocoa farmers through principles of gender equity and sustainable cocoa production.

He emphasises that notwithstanding the challenges, the association is steadfast in its commitment to advancing livelihoods and incomes for cocoa farmers through gender equity and sustainable cocoa production across all six cocoa-growing regions.

“We are committed to improving the income levels of farmers and bring them above the living income benchmark. We look at some cost components that can reduce their burden and support them,” he said.

During his address, Roland Obosu, Operations Manager for CAA, said the augmented premium payment should inspire farmers to produce high-quality cocoa beans. This, he emphasised, will not only contribute to boosting local sourcing but also play a role in enhancing the local economy.

“The increase in premium payment for our farmers is part of the association’s commitment to developing thriving and resilient communities within our 39 operational areas,” he said.

Acting Executive Secretary for CAA, Patrick John Van Brakel, mentioned that the aforementioned initiatives are to ensure all farmers conform to the newly-introduced Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System and new Rainforest Alliance Standard. This, he said, is to position the association ahead of any international standards.

Appreciation

Leaders of farmer groups recounted that the sustainable farm training and support from Cocoa Abrabopa has been beneficial to their cocoa production. They were grateful to CAA for introducing the alternative livelihood initiated.

Present at the 12th Annual General meeting of the Cocoa Abrabopa Association ceremony were officials from COCOBOD, Ghana Civil Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP), Federated Commodities Limited (FEDCO), Adwumapa Buyers Limited (ABL), Representatives of Mars and various cocoa farmer cooperatives.

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