The Ghana Cocoa Board has begun the implementation of what they call the cocoa rehabilitation programme for farmers in cocoa-growing areas in the Central Region.

The programme is aimed at cutting down all diseased and unproductive cocoa trees and replanting them with hybrid cocoa seedlings to improve yields in the region.

Addressing farmers at a rally to sensitize cocoa farmers in Agona Nyarkrom, the District Cocoa Officer of the Cocoa Health Extension Division of COCOBOD, Prince Philip Awensie, entreated the farmers to embrace the policy to enable them to fare well in the cocoa business.

He said, “The farmers are paid a compensation of 1,000 Ghana cedis per hectare for a farm cut. The replanting cost, according to COCOBOD, is also borne by the government.”

With this programme, the Ghana Cocoa Board replants with plantain suckers as temporary shade. For every hectare of cocoa, 1,100 plantain suckers are planted to provide temporary shade to the cocoa seedlings during growth.

Prince Philip Awensie explained that the Ghana Cocoa Board has recruited farm hands who work at the cocoa farm at no cost to the farmer.

He further stated that they would continue to hold rallies and sensitize the farmers for the implementation of the programme that aims at improving the cocoa yields of the country and, by extension, increasing the farmers’ incomes.

Currently, the Nyarkrom District has treated and replanted over 134 hectares of diseased farms as of 2021 and is still treating more this year.

COCOBOD’s appeal is therefore for the farmers to embrace the programme and get involved in re-establishing their farms.