Chemico assists cocoa farmers to improve yield
An initiative under which the latest high-tech inputs and extension services would be made available to cocoa farmers to significantly improve cocoa production, was over the weekend unveiled at Bunso.
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Under the programme christened: “Chemico Akuafo Project,” a Tema-based agrochemical company, Chemico Limited, will supply the inputs at very affordable prices to the cocoa farmers, who will be guided by the company’s extension officers in all cocoa-growing areas in the country at no cost .
The initiative, according to Chemico, is to complement the government’s mass spraying of cocoa farms.
Products
The inputs included Cocoasett folia fertiliser, Akate Master Insecticide, Cocofeed Plus Granular fertiliser, Champion and Fungikill fungicides and Pulmic Amazona CP 15 hand sprayers.
50 per cent increase
These inputs, which have successfully undergone series of trials, can improve yield by, at least, 50 per cent or more.
To ensure the right application of the products, Chemico, over the weekend, assembled 20 of its newly-engaged agricultural graduates who were taken through a five-day extensive training programme at the Bunso Cocoa College to be able to guide cocoa farmers.
The resource persons included Mr Kwame Obeng Adjina, formerly in charge of the government cocoa mass spraying exercise, and research scientists from the Cocoa Research Institute, Tafo.
Other resource persons were Madam Esther Nzoley and Mr Adamu Alimiyao Baba, both from the Western Regional Office of the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease Control Unit (CSSVD) of COCOBOD.
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Addressing the participants, the Executive Director of Chemico, Mr K.K. Donkoh, said Ghana could overtake La Cote d’Ivoire in cocoa production if the right inputs were applied and the farmers were well guided by extension officers.
He said it was for such a reason that Chemico was taking the initiative to assist farmers improve yield to derive more income for themselves and revenue for the country as a whole.
Problems
According to Mr Donkoh, the main problems facing cocoa farmers are unavailability of the required inputs, wrong application of the inputs and application at the wrong time.
In this regard, Mr Donkoh gave the assurance that extension officers of the company, who would be provided with motorcycles, would be tasked to reach out to cocoa farmers in the remote areas to supply them with the inputs and at the same time direct them on their application.
He, therefore, called on cocoa farmers to take the opportunity to improve yield to generate more income to improve their lot.
Chemico’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Prince Agyeman Yeboah, urged the participants to drum home the benefits to be derived from the application of the products for cocoa farmers to patronise them so as to generate more funds to manufacture such products.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the course prefect, Mr Richard Ayintara, said the training programme had well positioned them to offer the best for cocoa farmers and the company.