The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has secured a US$100 million financing facility from the World Bank to rehabilitate old cocoa farms across six districts in the country, including Assin Fosu, New Edubiase, Nkawkaw, and Juaso.

This four-year project will support the cutting down of cocoa trees that are over 20 years old, prepare the land, and provide planting materials such as seedlings and suckers.

COCOBOD's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, announced this during a field trip to farms in Assin Fosu, Central Region, on July 4, 2024.

The visit aimed to assess the work of extension officers, evaluate government interventions for farmers, and educate them on best practices to increase cocoa yields.

Mr. Aidoo explained that while the trees to be cut down are not diseased, they have outlived their lifespan, with some being over 30 years old, becoming 'moribund.'

He emphasized that cocoa trees over 20 years old are unproductive and require rehabilitation to rejuvenate the farms and increase production.

“Once cocoa hits 20 years and above, it has spent its life span, and from that stage, you realise that it bears no fruits, no pods, and the flowers don’t come, yet the farmer would be maintaining such a farm, and this is not productive,” he said.

COCOBOD will support farmers with plantain suckers, labor for planting, and provide extension officers to assist with farm management for optimal yields. Mr. Aidoo noted that without such support, farmers would struggle to achieve the desired outcomes.

He highlighted a similar project implemented with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, which focused on ending Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD).

During the visit, farmers urged the government to expedite road construction in cocoa-growing areas to reduce post-harvest losses and improve transport of produce. They also called for more extension officers, recognizing their valuable training and assistance.

Nana Kweku Appotoi IV of Assin Nyankomase expressed concern over deplorable roads in cocoa-growing communities, urging COCOBOD to address this issue. He also committed to preventing illegal miners from taking over cocoa farms and encouraged farmers to adhere to best practices and share their knowledge.

Mr. Aidoo assured farmers that the government would allocate funds to fix roads in cocoa-growing communities following cocoa price hikes. He advised against growing cocoa in sandy and clay soils, burning weeds, and selling cocoa branches for firewood. Instead, he recommended using these branches as mulch and avoiding harmful weedicides like 'round-up' and glyphosate, which damage soil health and reduce crop yields.

Since 2020, COCOBOD has procured about 100,000 motorized slashers and pruners to help clear cocoa farms and increase production, urging farmers to access them from district offices.

Mr. Aidoo also noted that COCOBOD has improved the extension officer-to-farmer ratio from one-to-three thousand to one-to-600, nearing the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) international standard of one officer-to-500 farmers.