Question

Which of the following challenges are faced by the cocoa cultivators in Ghana?

• A. Many trees have grown old and their yield has declined
• B. Plant diseases destroy cocoa production
• C. Farms are poorly managed
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is D All of the above

Cocoa production has been the backbone of Ghana’s economy for more than six decades now. The sector employs over a million people throughout the country and remains the major source of livelihood for many people in the country. The government of Ghana spends huge sums of money annually on the purchase and distribution of fertilizers, viable seedlings and other inputs to farmers but the sector is still beset with a lot of challenges that reduce yield significantly annually.

In order to maximize yield, it is very important that cocoa production challenges throughout the supply chain are identified, assessed and dealt with early enough in order to restore the level of productivity of the sector. This research is aimed at identifying these challenges from the perspective of farmers, staff and management of some selected Licensed Buying Companies and Cocobod.

The effects of the challenges are also assessed accordingly. After the study, the researchers identified the following challenges: Unfamiliarity of modern methods of farming, Late distribution of farm inputs by government, Land degradation by ‘galamsey’ operators, etc. The researchers recommend a greater collaboration of all partners of cocoa production in order to meet all challenges confronting the sector.