The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) will soon roll-out the Cocoa Management system, a comprehensive and integrated farmer database, to inform its operations.

Once it is done, COCOBOD will be in a better position to plan and execute most of its interventions and programmes in a very coordinated manner.

Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Chief Executive Officer, COCOBOD, said the database would be a link between the farmer, COCOBOD, Service providers, input dealers/ suppliers and Banks.

Mr Boahen Aidoo said this when the National Executives of the Ghana Cocoa, Coffee and Shea-Nut Farmers Association (COCOSHE) paid a courtesy call on Management of COCOBOD to congratulate the CEO on his recognition by the people of Ivory Coast.

The CEO was presented with the National Award of Commander of the National Order of Côte d'Ivoire by President Alassane Ouattara.

He was honoured for his leadership in securing the historic Cocoa floor price and Living Income Differential levy for Cocoa farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast.

“That is the level we want to reach in the industry, it should not be the responsibility of the farmer to be doing everything, service providers will have to come in and support,” he said.

He said the Board would secure the welfare and well-being of the country’s Cocoa, adding “we want Cocoa farming to be more lucrative, attractive to the youth and more profitable.”

He said cocoa farming should be a venture worthy of consideration by all professionals to pursue.

He commended the Board, Management and staff of COCOBOD for their support in implementing the interventions introduced by government to support farmers to increase Cocoa yields

He dedicated the awards to Cocoa farmers both in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire for their continuous support.

He said COCOBOD envisaged a better Cocoa industry in Ghana, taking the industry to a different level.

The CEO said COCOBOD had implemented various interventions and policies with the complete support and drive from President Akuffo-Addo.

He said all the interventions were done to sustain the welfare of Cocoa farmers.

“The President is passionate about the Cocoa Industry and he deserves a special commendation,” he said

He said the registration of the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme had been completed and would soon be launched by the President for implementation to begin.

“I am sure the launch will be done soon, hopefully before the end of the year, 2020,” he said.

Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, National President of COCOSHE congratulated the CEO on his prestigious award of “Commander of the National Order of Merit”.

“We, Cocoa farmers, celebrate this extraordinary accomplishment you have earned and also laud you for the currently visible evidence of progress in your resolve to transform the cocoa industry into the lucrative business venture,” he said.

He said the interventions demonstrated COCOBOD and government’s strong commitment towards improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.

He said the Association was aware of the various government’s on-going Productivity Enhancement Programmes that COCOBOD was implementing to support farmers to increase yields.

He said the mass pruning and hand pollination programmes, for instance, had positively increased yields and incomes of farmers, who today could afford dignified and decent lives in their communities.

He said farmers had expressed joy at the quantity of the free seedlings they were receiving each year to replant on their farms and to establish new ones.

He called for more nursery sites to be established close to the farming areas to reduce the burden associated with transporting the seedlings over longer distances.

He assured government and COCOBOD that the Association would continue to be a strong partner which would support all initiatives and policies of the Board.