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COCOA FARMERS COMMENDS INAUGURATION OF
GHANA COCOA BOARD, SOUTH SUDAN COCOA CULTIVATION INITIATIVE
…As COFAAA Global President, Adeola Adegoke says development will reverse dwindling production and enhance farmers output
The Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA) has commended two landmark developments in the African cocoa sector.
These are the inauguration of a new 11-member Ghana Cocoa Board Committee and the launch of a major cocoa cultivation initiative in South Sudan.
This was contained in a statement by the Global President of Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa, Comrade Adeola Adegoke and made available to newsmen.
According to Adegoke who also doubles as the President of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria(CFAN), the strides reflect a growing continental commitment to revitalizing the cocoa industry through deliberate strengthen of African leadership in cocoa production in view of external threats of cocoa production expansion from other regions, sustainable practices, and farmer-centered reforms to guarantee better livelihoods for our cocoa farmers.
“In Ghana, the newly inaugurated Cocoa Board Committee, established to revive the nation’s cocoa sector, is seen by COFAAA as a strategic move to address long-standing issues such as declining production, pests and diseases, and environmental degradation caused by illegal mining and climate change”.
“Ghana contributes 20–25% of the world’s cocoa supply, making its reforms critical to the global industry. Kudos to this initiative by the President Mahama led government with the Minister of Finance heading such important committee”.
“We urge the new Ghana Cocoa Board Committee to engage directly with farmers’ associations, implement transparent governance structures, and adopt sustainable practices that ensure better cocoa ecosystem for the country”.
“Farmers must be central to any reform process if we are to build a resilient and prosperous cocoa economy. Ghana as the second leading cocoa producing country and noted to produce the finest quantity cocoa beans in Africa and cocoa being the live wire of Ghana economy cannot afford to loose track of her production quota, considering the sharp declined the global cocoa industry is witnessing”.
Meanwhile, in South Sudan, COFAAA has also appreciated Nur Microfinance’s support for a large-scale cocoa initiative in the Yei River County greenbelt.
With over 800,000 cocoa seedlings already raised and a goal to distribute 10 million seedlings to local farmers, the initiative aims to establish cocoa as a viable and sustainable economic option in the region.
According to Comrade Adeola Adegoke, the project not only promises job creation and poverty alleviation but also supports climate change mitigation through reforestation efforts.
South Sudan’s cocoa cultivation project represents hope, innovation, and long-term vision.
“We call on the government and international partners to support this initiative by ensuring security, infrastructure, and investment that will help farmers thrive”.
The Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA) is a Pan-African organization amplifying cocoa farmers voices and advocating the rights and prosperity of cocoa farmers.
“Through policy engagement, capacity building, and international collaboration, COFAAA seeks to transform Africa’s cocoa industry into a fair, sustainable, and globally competitive sector”, Comrade Adeola Adegoke added.
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