Gold Fields Ghana has launched a comprehensive Cocoa Farmers Support Programme to empower 300 cocoa farmers in communities impacted by its Tarkwa Mines operations. The initiative is part of the company’s long-term commitment to sustainable development and livelihood improvement beyond mining.
Each beneficiary farmer received a cocoa spraying machine along with COCOBOD-approved fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides, and cocoa seedlings to enhance cocoa production.
Speaking at the launch in Tarkwa on Monday, May 26, the Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine Manager, Catherine Kuupol Kuutor, explained the scope and long-term vision of the five-year programme, which focuses on sustainable cocoa farming and farm expansion.
“A baseline assessment conducted in the Tarkwa communities revealed an average yield of 2.2 bags per acre, well below the recommended 8 bags per acre. The study also revealed pervasive challenges in input access, pest management, finance and labour.
“The Cocoa Farmer’s Support Programme addresses these gaps by supporting farmers with inputs whilst linking them to access to credit through the Promprom Credit Union and promoting climate-smart agroforestry and integrated pest management. It is interesting to note that the Promprom Credit Union was also set up with support from the Foundation. Through the Foundation, we intend to empower at least 300 cocoa farmers over five years,” she said.
Highlighting the expected outcomes of the project, Kuupol Kuutor added, “The intended impact of the project will include: 60% increase in cocoa production/yield per farmer; 250 farmers expanding farm size by at least 25% through the distribution of cocoa seedlings; improved household incomes and livelihood resilience;
“Strengthening of local farmer groups/cooperatives through capacity-building support; reduction in the use of unapproved agrochemicals and contribution to national cocoa production targets and export performance, as well as improved environmental sustainability through proper agrochemical use and farm management.”
She also detailed Gold Fields’ broader investment in agriculture through its foundation:
“One of the key investment areas of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation is agriculture, and over the years, the Foundation has invested over US$6.9 million to support the development of the agricultural sector.
“This investment covers initiatives in livestock production, the Community Oil Palm Project (COPP), the Youth in Organic Horticulture Production (YouHoP) programme, and the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme.”
One of the beneficiary farmers, Awudu Karim from Huni-Pepesa, expressed his gratitude to Citi News.
“We have benefited a lot. We received farm input supports, thus, pesticides, weedicides, and even spraying machines. Though this is our first time support, others have already benefited a lot,” he said.
In a related development, the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has trained and graduated 29 youth from its host communities in Tarkwa and Damang as part of its apprenticeship programme aimed at improving livelihoods and skills acquisition.
Adressing the public on the grounds of the graduation, the Executive Secretary of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, Abdel Razak Yakubu, emphasised the foundation’s commitment to youth development.
“For the years the Foundation has been around, it has invested over \$4 million in training programmes. As I speak, we have students in Obuasi, learning industrial and domestic wiring, and we also just graduated 29 youth from our host communities in Tarkwa and Damang.
“These trainees were selected by the host communities themselves and presented to the mine for training. They have gone through two years of intensive theory and practical training in welding and fabrication. They sat the Minerals Commission’s examination and passed with distinction, including Health and Safety certification,” he said.
Yakubu also highlighted employment opportunities for the graduates:
“Twenty-four of them have already been engaged by a partner on the mine, thus Kansco Engineering, and we are encouraging others, such as Engineers and Planners and all the other partners we work with to also engage some of them.
“These are trained people with the right attitudes, and we are excited that they are going to share this knowledge with other youth in the host communities, serve as ambassadors, and we are going to continue to support them to improve livelihoods,” he added.
Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Issah Taylor Salifu, who was present at the ceremony, commended Gold Fields for investing in the youth and urged the graduates to make meaningful contributions to their communities.
Speaking on behalf of the trainees, Raymond Debrah, President of the graduating class, told Citi News the programme was transformative:
“The training has been very educational in all aspects of welding and fabrication,” he said, applauding Gold Fields for investing in their future.