More Ghanaian youth adopt cocoa farming

A high number of Ghanaian youth particularly those living in cocoa growing areas in the country have shown huge interest in cocoa farming in recent years.

The youth say they have absolute confidence in COCOBOD’s Youth-in-Cocoa Programme, which has received lots of commendations from experts.

Shortly after taking over as Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Dr Stephen Opuni, underlined the need to make deliberate efforts to promote cocoa farming among the youth, thus introducing the policy.

The programme was officially launched in 2014 in the Central Region when the Assin Young Cocoa Farmers Association was activated. It instantly registered 20,000 young farmers as members.

Beneficiaries of the project are supplied with free seedlings, fertilizers and financial support as start-up capital.

So far, GHC50 million has been spent on close to 35,000 beneficiaries.

In a move to attract lots more people, associations have also been formed in Elembelle of the Western regions and Asante Akyem in the Ashanti region respectively.

The two associations, according to COCOBOB, have registered over 30,000 young men and women within a year of inception.

COCOBOD say plans are afoot to lure a chunk number of youths living in urban areas as it intends to brand communities with festivals and musical concerts.