The 2022 National Best Cocoa farmers are advocating for the implementation of practical measures to increase the value of cocoa for job creation and higher income.
Bismark Fuachie, the 2022 National Best Cocoa Farmer, Joyce Dapaah, the 2022 Most Enterprising Female Cocoa Farmer, and Peter Paintsil, the 2022 Most Promising Young Cocoa Farmer, made this call during their visit to KOA, a natural cocoa fruit juice producer based in Zurich, Switzerland.
During their educational tour of Europe to engage with international partners in the cocoa value chain, the farmers were impressed by KOA’s innovative use of cocoa pulp.
They urged the company to expand its operations to all cocoa-growing regions in Ghana.
Joyce Dapaah emphasized the potential for substantial income from other parts of the cocoa pod, considering the significant revenue generated from cocoa pulp, which is typically discarded.
Mr. Anian Schreiber, Managing Director and Co-Founder of KOA, welcomed the farmers to the KOA facility and highlighted that cocoa pulp provides an additional income stream for farmers, with many already participating in the initiative.
Peter Paintsil expressed his appreciation for the work being done by KOA in Ghana and stated that he would encourage his fellow farmers to view cocoa farming as a viable business.
He also thanked the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for their interventions that have significantly improved yields.
The farmers also visited Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) and Barry Callebaut, a global leader in cocoa processing and value addition, where they learned about the intricate processes involved.
Additionally, the team toured the Lindt Chocolate Museum to learn about the history of chocolate, the entire process of chocolate production, from cocoa bean to finished product, and sampled different types of chocolate.
They were particularly excited about how Ghana Cocoa is featured as a model for sustainable cocoa farming.
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