In a proactive move against climate change impacts on cocoa production, Ghana COCOBOD has conducted extensive sensitization programs for cocoa farmers in the Western North Region. The focus areas include climate change awareness, cocoa rehabilitation, and the importance of pruning for increased yield, crucial for boosting the country’s economic growth through foreign exchange earnings.
Addressing cocoa farmers in Sefwi Bekwai, Mr. Frank Amamoo Antwi, the Sefwi Bekwai District Cocoa Health And Extension Division (CHED) manager, emphasized the changing weather conditions affecting cocoa farming. Urging farmers to prioritize public education on essential practices such as mass spraying, pruning, pollination, and rehabilitation, he underscored the need for planting more trees to counteract the climate change impact on cocoa production.
Highlighting the significance of tree planting, Mr. Antwi stressed that absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere through tree planting can influence rainfall patterns, ultimately supporting agricultural production.
The upcoming pruning exercise, scheduled for February, was also discussed. Mr. Antwi commended the farmers in Sefwi Bekwai for their outstanding work in the previous year’s pruning exercise and encouraged them to maintain their efforts. With approximately fifteen thousand hectares of productive cocoa farms and around 10,000 farmers in the district, the importance of a concerted and thorough approach was emphasized.
In conclusion, Mr. Antwi appealed to cocoa farmers to consistently maintain their rehabilitation farms, especially highlighting the positive impact of watering during the dry season. This collective effort is essential for sustaining and enhancing cocoa production in the region.
