COCOBOD gives out motorized slashers to cocoa farmers in Western North

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) through the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) has given 1,732 motorized slashers to 134 cocoa farmer corporative within the Sefwi- Waiwso and Akontombra Districts of the Western North Region.

Mr. John Ahi, District Technical Officer who made the presentation, explained that the multipurpose machine could be used for weeding and pruning as well as for the removal of mistletoes.

According to him, each farmer group would receive between twelve and thirty-four machines depending on the membership of each farmer group.

Mr. John Ahi advised Cocoa farmers within the area to either join or form farmer corporative in order to benefit from all COCOBOD Programmes and policies.

He also called on beneficiary farmers to manage and maintain the machines in order to last long.

The beneficiary farmer groups include, Nyametease Cocoa Farmers Association, Royal Youth in Cocoa, Golden Pod Cocoa Farmers Corporative Association, Gyampokrom Cocoa Farmer's Group and Asntekrom Cocoa Farmer's Association.

Some of the farmers in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) commended the government and COCOBOD for the initiative and called on other farmers to also form corporative, since that would be easier for them to benefit from COCOBOD initiated Programmes.