By P.K.Yankey, GNA
Tarkwa (W/R), April 11, GNA – Goshen Global Vision (GGV), a non-government organisation, says it has engaged cocoa farmers to adopt nature-based to increase yield.
Madam Mary Perpetual Kwakwuyi, Executive Director of the GGV says her outfit was currently working in Ghana’s cocoa belt in the Western Region which holds the country’s richest forest.
Madam Kwakwuyi said illegal mining posed a challenge in the last decade, hence, the need for cocoa Agro-forestry and planting of trees in forest reserves.
She was speaking at a media engagement co-organised with the COCOBOD in Tarkwa to sensitise about 20 selected journalists Western-South Region Western-South Region, who are interested in cocoa-growing and related matters.
She said GGV had planted a total of 429,731 ordinary trees and 130,000 nature trees in more than 213 communities under four Districts namely Alavanyo, Subri Forest Reserves, Senchem and Essikado.
Madam Kwakwuyi said GGV had planted 130,000 nature trees alone since 2020 with 70,000 tree seedlings planted in the Subri forest reserves.
The Executive Director said the collaboration with CHED was aimed at capacity building of farmers in rural communities on distribution of nature tree seedlings to cocoa farmers.
Madam Kwakwuyi said GGV also assured monitoring of out-planted trees with community volunteers.
GGV had also rolled out alternative livelihood interventions such as bee-keeping farming.
The organisation had also initiated a Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA) to create self-managed and self-capitalised savings groups for lending purposes among cocoa farmers to better their lot especially during the lean season.
Manager of the Western-South Cocoa Region, Mr Samuel Osei thanked GGV for the partnership.
He said COCOBOD continued to plant trees and plantain suckers on cocoa farms to enhance climatic conditions and boost the livelihoods of farmers.
The Tarkwa-Nsuaem District Chief Cocoa Farmer, Nana Appiah who chaired the function, charged the media to intensify dissemination of information on cocoa production to the public.
He said cocoa used to be the backbone of Ghana, but lack of motivation was a major cause for the decline in cocoa production.
Nana Appiah asked COCOBOD to open cooperative credit unions for cocoa farmers in the districts.
He appealed to COCOBOD to resolve the challenges with the cocoa farmers pension scheme for it to become operational.
GNA