Training Workshop For Cocoa Farmers Held In Bia Conservation Area

Conservation Alliance (CA) in partnership with IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) and the Wildlife Service Division organized series of training activities for cocoa farmers under the project “Development of a trans-frontier conservation area linking forest reserves and protected areas in Ghana and Cotê d’Ivoire” to strengthen conservation in the landscape.

The training covered best practices in Cocoa Agroforestry, Integrated Pest Management and Sustainable Land Management.

Over the period 42 communities, 75 lead farmers and over 2,500 cocoa farmers within the Bia-Juabuso landscape have benefited from the training.

The project also supported the beneficiary communities to raise about 100,000 tree seedling for planting out on cocoa farms and degraded areas.

In an interview, Ms. Abigail Frimpong, the International Project Coordinator, indicated that lead farmers have acquired considerable knowledge on Cocoa Husbandry and Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPM).

She hinted that the project has raised and planted over 100,000 tree seedlings into cocoa farms (to boost the shade levels) and degraded sites within the landscape.

The farmers appealed to the government and donors for support in identifying and developing alternative livelihoods. They also asked the government to provide incentive packages that will motivate the youth to take up cocoa production as a career to reduce unemployment in the country.