COCOBOD and Barry Callebaut Sign Agreement on Sustainable Cocoa Farming

Accra, June 20, GNA – Ghana Cocoa Board
(COCOBOD) and Barry Callebaut AG, one of the leading cocoa processing companies
in the world, have signed an agreement to commit to a project that will ensure
sustainable cocoa farming in Ghana.

The project will help create a cocoa sector
that will generate living incomes for cocoa farmers, whilst ensuring that the
sector is free from the worst forms of child labour and deforestation

The Chief Executive of COCOBOD,  Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo and his counterpart,
Mr. Antoine de Saint- Afrique, Chief Executive Officer of Barry Callebaut
signed the agreement at the headquarters of Barry Callebaut in Zurich,
Switzerland.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Boahen
Aidoo expressed happiness with the collaboration, commending Barry Callebaut
for their continuous support to the cocoa sector.

According to him, government was committed to
add value to the raw cocoa bean produced in Ghana, a situation that would
enable cocoa processors in the country to improve their production to tertiary
level.

The COCOOBOD Chief believes one important
factor that was less discussed was the issue of pricing.

According to him, although the world cocoa
market price had not been stable for some time, COCOBOD put in place measures
to ensure that remunerative farm gate prices were paid to farmers in an effort
to motivate them, improve their livelihoods and sustain production.

He further stated that the move would help
curb the menace of small scale mining (galamsey) and other issues currently
confronting the cocoa sector.

“The issue of child labour is of great concern
to us, we are strongly against it. No farmer would want to see his or her child
on the farms. They also want their children to attain higher heights. To
this  end, Ghana Cocoa Board together with
stakeholders are committed to supporting 
the need to put in place adequate measures to eliminate the worst forms
of child labour in our cocoa farms to ensure that the menace is eradicated
completely”, he added.   

He was hopeful that the agreement between the
two organisations would go a long way to ensure a sustainable cocoa
economy. 

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of
Barry Callebaut, Mr. Antoine de Saint- Afrique lauded the partnership between
the two institutions.

He pledged his outfit’s commitment to
contributing to the growth of Ghana’s cocoa industry, by initiating projects
that would support the next generation of cocoa farmers through access to
agricultural lands, financing, among others.

According to him, the collaboration would also
help COCOBOD re-plant farms affected by the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease
(CSSVD) and also include an agroforestry approach to diversifying cocoa
farmers’ income.

The two parties were optimistic that the
partnership would see the two organisations working together to enhance the
conditions of the cocoa farmer whilst ensuring a sustainable cocoa economy.

GNA

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