CSSVD Control Unit educates Oda farmers on swollen shoot

Oda (E/R), Sept. 16, GNA - The Ghana Cocoa Board's Control Unit of the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) on Friday held a farmers' rally under the theme: "Breaking resistance to treatment of CSSVD outbreak" at Gye Wani Nkwanta near Oda.

Addressing the rally Mr. Francis Antwi Adjei, Deputy Eastern Regional Manager of the CSSVD Control Unit, said no medicinal solution had been found to combat the virus that caused the swollen shoot disease.

The only relief to the affected cocoa diseased tree was to remove the contact tree by means of cutting it. He said it was the same virus that usually caused the pepper and cassava trees to die. Mr Adjei said the cocoa tree infected with the virus yielded in smaller quantity when harvested. "It is by this reason that you are advised to agree with the CSSVD Unit to treat the disease for you, since you depend on them for your financial survival". He said years back Oda and its surrounding towns and villages including Gye Wani Nkwanta could boast of high cocoa production in the Eastern Region.

"The trend has declined due to the swollen shoot disease and therefore I appeal to you to tolerate the treatment of the virus." Mr Adjei appealed to farmers who shared common farming boundaries with others who had agreed to cut their threes to also allow his unit to do so otherwise trees treated could again be re-infected." He said three areas had been detected for having the virus and pledged that if the farmers in those communities agreed for the trees to be treated, those areas would be sited as demonstration farms. Mr. Akenten Osei Wiafe, District Cocoa Officer for Akroso, expressed regret that farmers in that part of the Oda Cocoa District were using their children on their cocoa farms as labourers. He spoke about the Capitation Grant and said there were many avenues opened to assist their children to acquire education including CMB scholarship.

Nana Asare Bentum III, Chief of Gye Wani Nkwanta who chaired the function thanked the CSSVD Control Unit for the rally and said it would enhance the farmers' skills and improve their cocoa yields.