COCOBOD, Light A Village donate solar lamps to farmers in Volta

Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in collaboration with Light A Village, a non-governmental organization has donated complete sets of solar lamps to 48 cocoa and coffee farm households in Adofe and Dzogbedo in the Ho West District of the Volta region of Ghana.

Presenting the solar lamps to the beneficiaries, Mr. Owusu Manu, Deputy Director of Research at COCOBOD indicated that the donation formed part of a larger education support programme by the two organisations in aid of the educational aspirations of farmers in remote communities.

The programme also aimed at lighting up communities that are not connected to the national electricity grid.

Mr. Owusu Manu noted that cocoa and coffee are important to Ghana’s economy so the Board and its collaborators will make efforts to support its development adding that, ‘It is in view of this that we support schools and communities without light.

He was quick to add that the reason for the donation was to help the children study in the evening.

Concluding, Mr. Manu entreated the farmers to form groups to make them stronger in seeking for support and building a better managed market for their produce. “To get the best outcome of your activities, your best bet is to form groups”.

The President and Founder of Light A Village, Dr. James Quartey in his message to the beneficiaries, expressed his joy about being able to organize resources to support those without electricity in Ghana to access light for their daily lives. He was particularly happy about the close cooperation with COCOBOD on this venture.

Dr. Quartey expressed confidence to continually partner COCOBOD in helping children access education by providing their communities with solar lamps for studies.

Ms. Benedicta Tamakloe, founder of Bean Masters Coffee and a lead person for organizing the farmer group who was at the presentation ceremony recounted that her organization sources and roasts Ghanaian coffee from women owned farms.

She disclosed that her organization is committed to using 10% of their net profit in the development of the farms from which they source their coffee.

She encouraged other farmers who are actively in coffee farming to join the association adding that combining skills, knowledge and other abilities help them develop together while sharing skills and opportunities and to overcome challenges collectively.

Mr. Owusu Manu later presented bars of chocolates to the school children emphasizing its nutritional and health benefits. He noted that cocoa which forms the base of every chocolate product has the propensity to boost the cognitive ability of humans especially children in their formative years while providing the highest source of antioxidants for the human body.