The National Association of Cocoa Farmers has issued a warning that the cocoa sector could collapse within five to ten years if current challenges are not addressed by authorities.Stephenson Anane Boateng, President of the Association, highlighted the severe impact of illegal mining, known as galamsey, in cocoa-growing regions.

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He noted that this has led to significant issues such as water pollution, competition for land with illegal miners, and a decline in cocoa production.Boateng expressed concern that cocoa farmers are struggling to manage aging cocoa trees, weeds, pests, diseases, and falling yields, all of which have negatively affected their income and livelihoods.

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According to data from the 2022/23 season released by COCOBOD, approximately 150,000 metric tonnes of cocoa were lost due to smuggling and illegal gold mining activities. Additionally, the cocoa-swollen shoot virus devastated around 500,000 hectares of cocoa farmland.

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He criticized national leaders for failing to implement effective initiatives to tackle these challenges, questioning why cocoa farmers are not being empowered to help resolve the crisis.

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Although the government claims to have introduced measures to address production issues, such as a farm rehabilitation program and collaborations with security agencies to combat smuggling, the Association insists that successive governments have not adequately addressed their concerns.“All the various sectors get the needed support and resources to enhance their work. However, the cocoa sector has been ignored.

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The situation has made cocoa farming unattractive, and our young people are not interested in the sector. They accuse us of selling our lands to illegal miners, but that is false."The cocoa sector is no longer thriving. My prediction is that in the next five years, we will have no cocoa sector to boast of. If we are lucky, it will last for the next ten years."The youth of today have all joined galamsey activities.

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When we raise these issues, the CEO of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, will rubbish them. We have a crisis at hand, and it is our collective duty as Ghanaians to talk and have the issues addressed.”On the investment of Ghc942 million on farms, he shot it down, stressing that “COCOBOD keeps making losses. Read the Auditor General’s report and let me know if, indeed, they have made any investments in farms, as he claimed.

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”He told host Kwabena Agyapong on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM that ""Ghana is now controlled by politicians, and when important issues are raised, they are not addressed.""They come in to make money, and when they leave, they and their families enjoy themselves and create problems for us. But as Ghanaians, we have to rise and speak up and have them resolve these challenges.”

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