Cocoa extension officers schooled

About 400 cocoa extension officers drawn from various parts of the country took part in an extensive capacity building programme to enhance their skills in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.

The educative programme was funded by World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), with Solidaridad, an international development organization which supports sustainable agriculture value chains, acting as the facilitators.

Tony Fofie, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), in an address read on his behalf, commended the facilitators of the programme, noting that it would go a long way to boost cocoa production in the country.

He therefore charged the participants of the workshop to put into practice what they learnt so that in the end the country’s cocoa industry would continue to thrive.

Mr. Fofie urged the cocoa extension officers to improve their work.

He pledged their readiness to collaborate with other stakeholders to assist cocoa farmers to increase their yield.

Sona Ebai, Chief of Party, World Cocoa Foundation-Africa Cocoa Initiative, said the goal of his outfit is to contribute to the increase in cocoa production in Ghana.

The workshop, he said, was to help train the cocoa extension officers to impart their knowledge in sustainable agricultural practices to farmers.

The Managing Director of Solidaridad West Africa, Isaac Gyamfi called for the sustenance of the production of cocoa in the country.

Vincent Frimpong Manu, Solidaridad Country Manager, said the participants, numbering about 400, were grouped into seven groups to ensure proper learning atmosphere.

He said the participants, including regional, district cocoa extension officers, just to mention a few, were taken through topics such as communication skills, cocoa certification systems.