Cocoa farmers in the West Akyem municipality of the Eastern Region have lamented bitterly over climate change seriously affecting cocoa production in the Area.
According to the farmers, most of the rainfall pattern in the area is unpredictable and remains unfavorable for cocoa and food production.
This is due to rapid depletion of the forest coupled with continuous destruction of the Eco-system in the forest fringe communities as a result of negative agricultural practices and unwarranted human activities that have destroyed the Eco-system.
The president of the West Akyem Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union , Sampson Adu Essel , speaking to the media over the weekend on the side lines of the Association’s 10th Anniversary celebration , bemoaned the adverse impacts activities of illegal miners are posing to the cocoa sector.
He noted that due to the destruction of forest covers by galamsey activities , it has negatively affected the weather pattern, a situation which is adversely impacting cocoa production .
Meanwhile , the union have also put measures in place to eliminate child labor in the sector .
As such they have procured 40 tricycles locally known as aboboyaa for some deserving farmers in the area.
Dubbed one community one aboboyaa , Mr Adu explained that the tricycles are to be used by the farmers to undertake some farming activities such as carrying cocoa, which hitherto was done by children in cocoa communities .
Mr Adu also expressed joy over the news of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD )signing an agreement for a $1.5 billion syndicated loan facility for the 2021/2022 cocoa crop season .
He said the report had come at the right time to help them sell their cocoa beans and get money to deal with their personal challenges .
Some cocoa farmers who spoke to the media also expressed appreciation to the government for the various interventions implemented to aid them in cocoa production .
They finally urged the government to use the money to purchase more cocoa beans to boost the cocoa sector’s speedy recovery from the pandemic .
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