Atwima Mponua: Cocoa Farmer Associations Inaugurated

The Community of Akantansu Nkwanta in Atwima Mponua of the Ashanti region was set agog when hundreds of Cocoa farmers clad in various apparels converged for the inauguration of ANCFA.

The chairman for the day, Nana Oti Boadua II, asked the farmers to become a united front to fight a common goal, that will enhance bumper harvest and further create wealth for them.

The Association's Chair, Samuel Nsiah, applauded the farmers to keep working harder to get more yield and also to create wealth for themselves.

He mentioned that the membership drive of the association at Akantansu stands at 189 with a total cocoa land size of 1,012.25 acres, Kwakumire can also boast of 60 members with 642 acreages of Cocoa farm. In addition, the Akorabourkrom Association also have 56 members with 605 acres of the cocoa cash crop.

Mr. Nsiah said the association has these objectives which will drive the wellbeing of its members;

1. To easily access extension officers and other technical support from Ghana COCOBOD;

2. To adopt modern techniques in farming;

3. To entice the youth into farming;

4. To have a united front to engage opinion leaders, politicians, government, COCOBOD and other stakeholders in shaping the policy direction of the cocoa industry;

5. To form a co-operative credit union for members to enhance their finances.

Mr. Nsiah thanked COCOBOD for their immense support in the areas of pruning, pollination, and cocoa mass spraying and also reminded government to reduce granular cocoa fertilizers to 50 cedis per bag.

The Heads the District Police, Fire Service, Education and Agric gave various education to the gathering public in their field respectively.

Dr. Samuel Amponsah, the Ag. Executive Director of CHED at Cocobod underscored the need for such associations. He hinted that COCOBOD will start distributing chemicals to farmers through their associations. He advised farmers allow extension officers to prune and pollinate their farms for better yields which also comes with compensation from COCOBOD.

He also promised to furnish the District office of Cocobod with a pick-up so as to augment their daily activities with the farmers in the district.

Hon. William Darko recounted the many government interventions for farmers.

He applauded the farmers for the bold initiative and pledged to assist them in their endeavours. " It's through the effort of myself, the Member of Parliament, Isaac Asiamah and Nananom that Atwima Mponua also has a District Cocoa office", he stated. That gesture he said has played to benefit Mponua the more as the 2018 Regional best Cocoa farmer and the National Best female Cocoa farmer are from the District.

Drawing the curtain on the program, the teary eyes of the farmers could not be hidden as Mr. Samuel Osei, the current officer announced his posting to a new district. "It was through this man that the face of Mponua cocoa has changed for our good", a farmer shouted as tears flow slow down their cheeks. Mr. Osei pledged to support them from afar and asked the farmers to have confidence in the new officer.