The third-largest cocoa buyer in the country, Armajaro Ghana Limited, has presented a cheque amount of GHc30,000 to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), as its contribution to Farmers Day. Making the presentation in Accra on Tuesday, Armajaro’s Director of Operations, Nelson Kpodo-Tay, said Armajaro has a strong reputation in the cocoa sector with innovations in the internal marketing of cocoa. Kpodo-Tay explained that Armajaro has set up a dedicated and specialized team in Traceability and Sustainability (T&S) across its commodity-chain. “We consider that traceability is key to the long term success of any sustainable initiative and therefore we have invested in software systems and training to provide traceability for the projects we are involved in,” he said. He added that in 2007 Armajaro successfully implemented a project to source traceable cocoa in Ghana. So far, Armajaro, through its Cocoa Traceable Foundation has invested over US$2 million to improve water and sanitation as well as education in 52 communities in which it operates. The foundation which seeks to improve the lot of local communities, has drilled over 150 boreholes to provide safe drinking water for beneficiary communities. Kpodo-Tay noted that the company will continue to help farmers to spray their farms against cocoa diseases and pest which account for low productivity as well as plant tree seedlings on cocoa farms to help reverse the trend of deforestation. “Our extensive presence in the key production origins enables us to help empower farmers by investing in and supporting training programmes and initiatives that assist growers to improve their profitability and working conditions.” “As the company’s cotton operations grow in the North, it is expected that similar interventions will be possible,” he disclosed. Armajaro Ghana trades with over 75,000 cocoa farmers around the western corridor, and employs about 1,500 people and deliver livelihoods to over 100,000 families in the rural areas. On his part, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Fisheries, Nii Amasa Namoale, thanked Armajaro for making the contribution, adding that the Ministry would make sure the farmers benefit to improve their farms and livelihoods.