The Federated Commodity
(FEDCO) a cocoa-buying company and its partners Walter Matter, South Africa,
and Chocolate Frey in Switzerland have set aside GH¢2,442,000 to support cocoa
famers in six cocoa-growing areas in the Western Region.
The areas to be supported include Wassa Akropong, Manso Amenfi, Asankragwa, Samreboi A&B and Akontonbra.
Alhaji Abdul Razak Adamu, Managing Director FEDCO, said this at a ceremony to officially hand over to farmers their share of the premium received from the certified cocoa sold during the 2013/2014 crop season. It was also to outdoor some projects implemented at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The areas to be supported include Wassa Akropong, Manso Amenfi, Asankragwa, Samreboi A&B and Akontonbra.
Alhaji Abdul Razak Adamu, Managing Director FEDCO, said this at a ceremony to officially hand over to farmers their share of the premium received from the certified cocoa sold during the 2013/2014 crop season. It was also to outdoor some projects implemented at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The presentation forms
part of the sustainability Project of Walter Matter SA and FEDCO, aimed at
helping to develop cocoa producing communities which trade with the company.
He revealed that during
the 2013/2014 crop season, the six districts involved in the project were able
to produce close to 8,000MT of certified cocoa beans and that a total of
GH¢1,042,000 was used to purchase and supply farm inputs and logistics to the
farmers, while the other half went into provision of potable water for the
communities.
He announced that a
pilot Farmers Business School (FBS) will be started by FEDCO and its partners
to build farmers’ capacity in entrepreneurial and management skills.
“The school will enable farmers to learn and improve their knowledge, change their attitudes and enhance their skills toward improved farm commercialisation,” he said.
Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, called on cocoa buying companies to extend their support to communities they buy their produce from.
The minister said a lot of cocoa producing communities face numerous challenges, including bad road network, lack of potable water, health facilities and other social amenities.
He said such challenges can be alleviated only if the cocoa buying companies extend their support to those communities.
He called on the cocoa farmers to desist from giving up their cocoa farms for illegal miners’ operations and rather use the land profitably by growing more cocoa, and urged them to make good use of the farm items presented to them.
FEDCO and its partners praised the cocoa farmers for the quality of their cocoa beans and encouraged them to keep to the quality standard always.
The Ghana Cocoa Board also used the occasion to reiterate its support to FEDCO in its activities to promote development.
“The school will enable farmers to learn and improve their knowledge, change their attitudes and enhance their skills toward improved farm commercialisation,” he said.
Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, called on cocoa buying companies to extend their support to communities they buy their produce from.
The minister said a lot of cocoa producing communities face numerous challenges, including bad road network, lack of potable water, health facilities and other social amenities.
He said such challenges can be alleviated only if the cocoa buying companies extend their support to those communities.
He called on the cocoa farmers to desist from giving up their cocoa farms for illegal miners’ operations and rather use the land profitably by growing more cocoa, and urged them to make good use of the farm items presented to them.
FEDCO and its partners praised the cocoa farmers for the quality of their cocoa beans and encouraged them to keep to the quality standard always.
The Ghana Cocoa Board also used the occasion to reiterate its support to FEDCO in its activities to promote development.
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