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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that the government is determined to replant all the cocoa farms affected by the swollen bud disease to help improve yields per hectare for cocoa farmers.
Speaking at the launch of the government’s Cacao Rehabilitation Program in Sefwi Wiawso in the North West Region last Thursday, he stated that “it is important to note the importance of paying compensation to farmers and landowners alike, where there is a lease agreement. This has never happened before. “
The incident occurred on the first day of the president’s three-day tour of the region.
Poll
Addressing the meeting, the president stated that a survey of the country’s cocoa farms in 2017 revealed that of the total national cocoa area cultivated of 1.95 million hectares, about 17 percent of the population of cocoa trees was affected by the cocoa swollen bud virus disease. (CSSVD), while 23 percent were bullied.
In this regard, the President stated: “My administration came to find a cocoa sector that had around 760 thousand hectares, being unproductive or unable to guarantee the sustainability of the industry.”
“Due to the neglect of the recent past, the disease has spread to cover all the cocoa regions delimited by COCOBOD in the country: North West, South West, Central, East, Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo and Volta. Two-thirds of the ruined cocoa area in Ghana, which represents about 214,000 hectares, was found in the north western region alone, ”he added.
According to the president, so much cocoa farmland had been lost to the disease that the north western region, which produced more than 330,000 tonnes of cocoa in 2010/2011, now produced less than 150,000 tonnes.
Answer
In response to this challenge, the president said his administration took a bold and pragmatic step for COCOBOD to secure a $ 600 million accounts receivable-backed syndicated credit line.
More than two-thirds of the amount, he said, would go directly to rejuvenating sick and over-aged farms and productivity-enhancing activities, including pruning, hand pollination and irrigation of cocoa farms.
He said the remaining amount would be used to support local processing and value addition, and the promotion of local consumption of cocoa products.
“The government sees the virus of the bloated outbreak and the spread as a national disaster, so if today our cocoa farmers are facing the ravages of the virus, then it is only fair and correct that the whole country rises to the occasion. to support them. At his feet. This is my conviction, and this is exactly what I am doing, ”said the President.
Appreciation
President Akufo-Addo expressed the government’s appreciation to the Consortium of Development Finance Institutions (DFI), led by the African Development Bank (AfDB), for supporting the government’s productivity improvement programs.
“I am aware that the program has created thousands of jobs for young people in beneficiary communities who have been involved in disease detection, felling of diseased trees, replanting, weeding, and technical assistance. In total, 50,000 young people are being recruited for the program, which will run over the next five years, ”she added.
Warranty
So far, President Akufo-Addo indicated that 11,564.28 hectares of farms affected by swollen outbreaks in the western north and east regions had been treated and planted with cocoa, bananas and inexpensive trees.
Additionally, 7,358 of the 8,904 affected farmers had been fully compensated.
“The government assures our cocoa producers that not a single producer will be left out of the ongoing compensation exercise. Each farmer, whose farm has been affected by swollen shoots, will receive full payment. The next phase of the rehabilitation program will cover 154,400 hectares of sick and elderly cocoa farms, “added the President.
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