Yara Ghana Limited, a leading name in fertilizers in Ghana has won the agro input of the year-fertilizer at the maiden Ghana Cocoa Awards held in Accra recently.
The company’s input package for cocoa, which is the Asaase Wura and YaraLiva Nitrabor were shortlisted among other cocoa fertilizers for the category and came out tops.
The award was received by the Managing Director of Yara Ghana Limited, Danquah Addo-Yobo.
He said Yara Ghana is pleased with the recognition given it and is encouraged to continue with its support for the cocoa sector, adding that the company has played a pioneering role in the fertilizer input sector of Ghana’s cocoa industry with the introduction of Asaase Wura cocoa fertilizer in 2005.
“This venture involved a huge investment into an otherwise uncharted territory in the cocoa sector by then, showing Yara Ghana’s commitment to and believe in growing the industry in Ghana,” he said.
The introduction of the Asaase Wura cocoa fertilizer helped improve cocoa farmers yields and profitably quite significantly.
“Results from several demonstration farms across cocoa growing areas have shown that Asaase Wura and Nitrabor package has consistently shown an average percentage yield increase of 50% for the plots that had Asaase Wura and Nitrabor applied compared to the traditional farmer practice plots ” the Managing Director further intimated.
He further stated that Yara’s success and significance to the cocoa farming community can also be traced to the fact that under the direction of its network of agronomists, Yara has initiated and undertaken several programmes to enable cocoa farmers achieve the best results.
These, he said, have included capacity building for farmers and agro dealers focusing on the Yara Crop Nutrition concept which focuses on the right application of fertilizers: right nutrients, right time and right place and right rate.
“Along with our distribution and retail partners, Yara also organizes Crop Clinics and training programmes and reaches thousands of cocoa farmers every year through the Healthier Cocoa Campaigns.Several thousands of farmers have been trained over the past years under this programme,” he added.
Mr. Addo-Yobo took the opportunity to acknowledge the collaboration and support of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) regarding trials on Asaase Wura and Nitrabor and the Ghana Cocoa Board and reiterated that Yara Ghana will continue to support the Ghana Cocoa Board in its drive to improve the sector.
The Ghana Cocoa Awards, which is an initiative of VC Media Limited, recognises and celebrates outstanding achievements in the Ghana cocoa value chain with this being the maiden edition.
The finalists were drawn from a total of 161 entries filed by individuals, companies and institutions operating within the Ghana cocoa value chain.
Over 30 awards were given out in various categories including Agro Input, Processing, Haulage, Manufacturing, Packaging and Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Media, Consumption promotion, Sustainability and Leadership.
Joy News’ Justice Baidoo was for instance adjudged Cocoa Reporting Journalist of the Year, while the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board, Joseph Boahen Aidoo was crown with the ultimate and prestigious Tetteh Qaurshie Award.
Below is the list of other award winners:
Custodian of the Golden Tree Award: Osabarima Kwame Otu Darte III
Cocoa Farmers Income Sustainability Award: Mr Yves Barima Kone
Cocoa Sustainability Special Award: Mr. Anthony Fofie
Best Haulier of the Year – KITEKO Ghana Ltd
Agro Input of the Year (Chemicals) – RMG Ghana Ltd
Agro Input of the Year (Farm Implement) – Sharp Power 4T
Tertiary Cocoa Processing Company of the Year – NICHE Cocoa Industry
Semi-Finished Cocoa Processing Company of the Year- NICHE
Cocoa IndustryCocoa Financing Institution of the Year – Agricutural Development Bank
Cocoa Sustainability Special Award: Mr. Anthony Fofie
Chocolate Brand of the Year Large Scale – Niche cocoa
Artisanal Chocolate Brand – Decokraft
Community Energy Innovation – Zola Energy
Best in packaging innovation – NICHE Chocolate
Cocoa Beverage Product – Royal Natural Cocoa Powder
Cocoa Cosmetics Product – Beauty Secrets
Most innovative cocoa products – Koa Cocoa juice
Research and Development Project – Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana