Hubert Duah, a 63 year old retired teacher, ventured cocoa production three years ago.

He is excited at the prospects of his farm to improve his family’s livelihood. He has however come to understand that access to agro-inputs could impede the quest to establish sustainable farms that drive the youth to the sector.

“All what we need is the inputs because we don’t have the money to purchase all those things; so when government comes to our aid through the inputs we can make it and then we can also encourage the youth to take part in the farming,” he said.

Hubert is among farmers targeted under the Cocoa Eco-Project, initiated by SNV Ghana in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union (KKFU).

The project has been piloted in ten selected cocoa growing districts in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Central and Western regions within the past two years.

SNV Ghana, Project Manager on Cocoa Eco, Charles Brefo-Nimo, says there has been an impact on productivity and improvement of the ecosystem services, which has been achieved through the provision of technical and financial support for cocoa sustainable intensification.

“Intensification strategy has been one of the main focus; what we’re saying is that farmers can use the same size of their land to increase productivity,” he stated.

SNV since the inception of the cocoa project has supported the mapping of farms and distribution of 265,000 cocoa hybrid seedlings to 265 farmers.

SNV Ghana is investing Gh621,321 in 2015 for its activities, including a contract with two local capacity builders to train 600 lead farmers in good agricultural practices, integrated pest management, child labour and cocoa certification.

Meanwhile, the organization has presented agro-inputs worth over Gh27,000 to host farmers of 20 young and mature demonstration farms. The inputs include fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, personal protective equipment, intelligent and motorized spraying machines.

“The presentation is to ensure that the host farmers have timely access to the requisite tools and inputs to enhance the sustainability of the demo farms,” said Mr. Brefo-Nimo. “It is expected that the demo farms will become the model of excellence to train farmers within the catchment area”.

Executive Secretary of Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union, Appau Abrampah-Mensah, says the package will enhance the activities of the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach where farmers learn good practices from their peers.

Under the Cocoa Eco Project, SNV Ghana is supporting Kuapa Kokoo to strengthen the Business Development Centres in the 10 cocoa districts to make it a functional service centers for farmers to access wide range of farmer services.