The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is set to supply cocoa farmers nationwide with about 27,000 motorised spraying machines and 89,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to support their work and improve safety in cocoa farming.

The Board Chairman of COCOBOD, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, disclosed the plan during a meeting with cocoa farmers from the Abuakwa North and Fanteakwa South districts in the Eastern Region of Ghana on Thursday, 12 March.

Dr Ofosu-Ampofo reaffirmed COCOBOD’s commitment to supporting Ghanaian cocoa farmers despite the challenges confronting the sector.

“COCOBOD has decided that, despite all the challenges, all the interventions we are putting in place to assist cocoa farmers will continue. We will supply free fertiliser and insecticide. As we speak with you, we have procured 27,000 spraying machines to be given to farmers. We have also been able to buy 89,000 PPEs to be given to farmers,” he said.

Dr Ofosu-Ampofo also outlined plans to expand educational support for the children of cocoa farmers.

“The government has also said that because of Free SHS, the scholarship that we used to give to cocoa farmers should be repackaged and extended to the tertiary level, making tertiary education free for the children of cocoa farmers at that stage,” he explained.

He added that a committee has already been established to develop the modalities for implementing the initiative.

“There is a committee already in place working behind the scenes, and very soon they will come out to announce the modalities to everybody,” he said.

The initiatives form part of COCOBOD’s broader efforts to improve productivity, ensure safety in cocoa farming, and invest in the future of Ghanaian cocoa farmers and their families.