The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has urged the government to concentrate on improving the country’s overall value chain for cocoa farmers.
The party has said Ghana can improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers by granting access to resources, training, infrastructure, and finance and by empowering farmers through cooperative groups, going beyond relying simply on rises in global cocoa prices.
This was contained in a statement signed by the National Chairman, Nana Ofori Owusu.
In addition, the PPP also proposed access to resources and training, infrastructure development, diversification and value expansion, access to finance and credit, empowerment through cooperative associations, and sustainable farming practices.
The statement comes on the back of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s announcement of a 63.6% upward adjustment of the farm gate price of cocoa beans from GH₵800 to GH₵1,308 per bag for the new cocoa season.
Addressing cocoa farmers at Tepa in the Ashanti Region during the opening of the 2023/2024 cocoa season, the president, the increment is the highest in West Africa in the last 15 years.
The news has, however, been met with mixed reactions.
Former President John Mahama has accused the government of being insensitive, stating cocoa farmers have been shortchanged.
Read the PPP’s full statement below: