Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has disclosed that Cocoa Swollen Shoot Viral Disease (CSSVD) has claimed over 500,000 hectares of cocoa farms in Ghana, posing a significant threat to cocoa production in the country.
Speaking at a panel discussion during a partnership meeting of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) in Amsterdam, Mr. Aidoo emphasized the multifaceted challenges confronting cocoa production in Ghana.
Alongside CSSVD, he highlighted the detrimental impacts of illegal mining and climate change, exacerbating the decline in cocoa productivity and endangering the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
According to Mr. Aidoo, unregulated mining activities are causing deforestation, soil degradation, and water pollution, negatively affecting cocoa tree growth. Climate change compounds these challenges, with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and prolonged droughts hindering tree growth and reducing cocoa output.
To combat CSSVD, COCOBOD instituted the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme in 2018, aimed at halting the spread of the disease, restoring unproductive farms, and improving cocoa farmers' livelihoods. The programme involves identifying diseased farms, cutting down affected trees, replanting disease-resistant cocoa varieties, compensating affected farmers, and promoting good agricultural practices.
Mr. Aidoo stressed the importance of securing sustainable incomes for cocoa farmers, highlighting initiatives like the Living Income Differential (LID) and significant hikes in Ghana’s Producer Price for cocoa farmers as crucial advancements in this regard.
However, he underscored the necessity for collective commitment across the industry to prioritize the sustainable incomes of cocoa farmers, backed by concrete action.
Yves Brahima Koné, the Director General of Conseil du Café Cacao, echoed the severity of CSSVD's threat to West African cocoa production. He urged the industry to demonstrate immediate commitment to addressing the issue, warning of dire consequences if action is not taken promptly.
Joseph Boahen Aidoo