How to Make Cocoa Farming a Profitable Business in Ghana
Cocoa farming has always been one of Ghana’s most valuable industries, but many farmers are beginning to realize how profitable it can be. Imagine this “A single bag of cocoa now can sell for as much as 3,100 Ghana cedis. That’s a dream come true for many farmers ready to put in the hard work and adopt new farming techniques,” Jesse Emmanuel Sarbeng Technical Officer CHED COCOBOD said during a workshop.
This was the central message at a recent trainers-of-trainers workshop in Ghana, sponsored by INKOTA Cocoa Management Systems. The workshop brought together cocoa farmers, trainers, and industry experts to discuss ways to improve farming practices and increase yields.
P.E.P.S: The Secret to Better Cocoa Yields
At the workshop, participants were introduced to a simple formula for improving cocoa farming, called P.E.P.S:
Pruning: Keeping the cocoa trees healthy by removing dead or unnecessary branches.
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Effective Pollination: Ensuring the flowers are pollinated properly to increase cocoa pod production.
Irrigation: Watering the trees regularly, especially during dry seasons, to keep them productive.
Rehabilitation: Replacing old, diseased, or unproductive trees with new, healthy ones.
By focusing on these practices, farmers can significantly boost their cocoa production and make more money.
Fighting Cocoa Diseases
Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD). This disease can destroy entire farms, and unfortunately, there is no cure for it. Ghana Cocoa Board advises that the best solution is to cut down the infected trees.
But cutting down trees is not the end of the story. Farmers receive support to replant their farms with new, disease-resistant cocoa trees. For every hectare (about 2.5 acres) of trees cut down, farmers receive 1,000 Ghana cedis to assist with replanting.
Cocoa farming is not just hard work—it is a smart business. With the right practices like pruning, pollination, irrigation, and rehabilitation, farmers can make cocoa more profitable than ever. If you’re a cocoa farmer, remember that your hard work and dedication can turn your farm into a great income source.
One workshop participant said, “If I am a farmer, I have to work hard to get money from cocoa.” Indeed, with the right tools and techniques, cocoa farming can be a dream business for anyone.
At first, Ghana’s cocoa was the best in the world, but things have changed due to climate change.
So, let’s all work together to improve cocoa farming in Ghana—because a better cocoa industry means a better future for everyone.
Source: Radiooneghana.com/Armah Paulina
