Farmers in Volta Region benefit from 400,000 free cocoa seedlings programme

Farmers across the Volta Region have received more than 400,000 improved cocoa seedlings free of charge from Afarinick Company Limited (ACL) as part of a major initiative to promote cocoa cultivation, improve livelihoods, and support the expansion of Ghana’s cocoa sector.

The distribution exercise took place at the company’s flagship cocoa project in Kpando, where Afarinick has established a 2,000-acre sustainable commercial cocoa plantation and a large-scale cocoa nursery with an annual production capacity of more than two million seedlings.

The programme attracted hundreds of farmers, traditional leaders, agricultural stakeholders, and political leaders, including the Member of Parliament for Kpando, Sebastian Fred Deh; the Member of Parliament for Hohoe, Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo; the Member of Parliament for Guan, Fred Agbenyo; and the Member of Parliament for Biakoye, Jean-Marie Formadi.

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The lawmakers commended the company for investing in Ghana’s cocoa sector through the development of large-scale cocoa infrastructure and the provision of free improved planting materials to farmers.

Speaking at the event, Sebastian Fred Deh described the initiative as transformative, saying the distribution of seedlings and the establishment of cocoa infrastructure would empower farmers and contribute significantly to the economic development of the Volta Region.

Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo and Jean-Marie Formadi also pledged support for cocoa expansion efforts in their constituencies, noting that cocoa farming has the potential to create jobs, generate income and drive rural development.

The seedlings distributed were produced from improved cocoa varieties designed to provide higher yields, better disease resistance, and greater resilience to changing climatic conditions. Farmers from several districts in the region received the seedlings to establish new cocoa farms and rehabilitate existing ones.

According to Afarinick, the initiative is expected to contribute to increased cocoa acreage in the Volta Region while supporting national efforts to expand cocoa production.

Davida Pappoe, Programmes Manager of Afarinick Company Limited, said the distribution forms part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to supporting farming communities and promoting the sustainable growth of Ghana’s cocoa industry.

“Through investments in seedling production and the provision of quality planting materials to farmers, Afarinick aims to support cocoa expansion efforts, enhance farm productivity and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural households, particularly in emerging cocoa-growing areas such as the Volta Region,” she said.

She added that the seedlings were raised at Afarinick’s nursery in Kpando, which can produce more than two million improved cocoa seedlings annually to meet growing demand for quality planting materials.

The company also acknowledged the support of the Seed Production Division of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), which supplied the improved cocoa pods used to produce the seedlings distributed to farmers.

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