A strong database key to revamping coffee production in Ghana – CFG

The Coffee Federation of Ghana (CFG) has started a number of initiatives aimed at revamping the coffee industry in Ghana and make the produce one of the most attractive and sought after commodity on the world market.

One of such initiatives is the development of a very strong data in the value chain which will serve as a guide or reference point for players in the industry.

The Vice President of the Coffee Federation of Ghana, Samuel Adimado, told journalists in an interview on the sidelines of the Federation’s General Meeting in Accra, Friday, that the future of the coffee industry hinges on a very strong data, without which the industry cannot attract the needed investment.

He is confident that once the CFG is able to develop a very strong data for the industry, Ghana’s economy will never be the same.

“Yes, Ghana is a player in the coffee industry but globally, if you want to say you are a player, you must have the statistics, data in order to argue out your position in the world coffee business. Although we have farmers who cultivate coffee, you must have a very comprehensive data in order to present to the global world. So, we have started collating the data and we believe that it will help us to turn things around. Ghana used to do well in the coffee business and with the collapse of the global coffee market, we lost that position. But now that the global coffee market is thriving, we have revamp our industry to attract the needed investment”, he noted.

CFG in collaboration with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is currently mapping out farmers, soil fertility to determine which areas the coffee crop will grow well, what type of planting material to use and warehouses to assess the strength of the coffee sector.

They are also developing a set of guidelines that will assist in regulating activities in the industry as well as developing a baseline assessment on coffee consumption in the country.

The aim of this exercise, Mr. Adimado, noted, is to professionalize the industry and make it more attractive, improve on the quality of the commodity and make coffee production more profitable to farmers as a diversified income strategy.

It is also meant to address the impact of climate change on coffee and cocoa economies that are no more producing for cocoa.

Already, 20,000 farmers have expressed interest in investing in coffee as a business, thus divesting their income.

Mr. Adimado believes that the profitability of the business will depend on the farmers who are keen on it and follow through the information that will be provided to them.

“What we want to amplify is that coffee should be a diversified option for farmers that want to go into coffee as an enterprise. So, we want to support coffee and champion it as a diversified income in the commodity arena. That is the idea behind CFG”, he explained.

Available statistics indicate that Africa produces about 10.8 percent of the world’s total volume of coffee produced. However, the continent only consumes three percent of the total coffee produced domestically.

Ethiopia for instance, consumes 50 percent of the total volume of coffee produced locally whiles Kenya consumes about five percent of what they also produce locally.

CFG therefore seeks partnership with potential agencies and organizations to deepen awareness on the health benefits of coffee to boost the local consumption and demand for coffee.

According to the President of the Federation, Chief Nat NSARKO, this can be a game changer in addressing the negative effects of world coffee pricing.

Ghana is strongly pushing for a major name in the world of coffee, leveraging on the governments Planting for Exports and Rural Development (PERD).

CFG will be hosting the General Assembly meeting of Agence de cafes robustas d’Afrique et de Madagascar (ACRAM) from May 22 – 24, 2019 in Accra, Ghana.