It is currently collaborating with MTN, to provide 6,000 ‘well-programmed’ phones where cocoa farmers will scan their cocoa trees, detect any disease and call for officers to provide immediate solution.

The newly-elected President of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union (KKFU), an offshoot of the company, Madam Fatima Ali, announced in Kumasi during a press interaction that the target was to reach out to the about 100,000 cocoa farmers under the union.

She was outlining her vision together with her team for the next four years after she was returned unopposed as president of the union at a national delegates conference held in Kumasi recently.

The president said in line with the innovation, a toll-free hotline service centre had been created to respond to farmers promptly in providing solutions to their needs.

As part of measures to add value to Ghana’s raw cocoa beans, she said, plans were afoot to roll out a manufacturing processing plant to convert a chunk of the beans into exportable products, including chocolate.

The union is also helping farmers in an income diversification programme, which includes planting alternative produce such as coffee and yam, which could be depended on during lean seasons.

In line with the vision shared by other executives, the union is to focus on pension for farmers and their insurance in order to make them self-sufficient at old age and not become a burden on society.

More importantly, the union, together with Kuapa Kokoo, is to have a fully-hedge mobile health system where it can collaborate with health institutions for major referrals of farmers for immediate attention.

MDT

The Managing Director of Kuapa Kokoo, Mr Samuel Adimado, said as part of its contribution towards solving the unemployment problem in the country, the company had employed over 60 young graduates over the last eight months.

“Indeed, over the years, the company has been consistent in engaging young graduates and they currently form about a third of its 400 workforce,” he said.

Achievement

Mr Adimado said Kuapa Kokoo’s market share had increased from 4.23 per cent to seven per cent in the current season.

The company has also moved from the licensed buying company grade from the 12th position to the fifth position.

“Kuapa Kokoo has come a long way to attain this feat and we will do our utmost best using our newly acquired technological tools such as the teleagric and other tools to sustain this in a more sustainable manner,” the managing director said.

The Executive Secretary of Kuapa Kokoo, Nelson Adubofuor, dwelt on the four thematic areas of the company of productivity enhancement and environmental protection; alternative livelihood intervention to improve farmers’ income; provision of healthcare service to farmers and child protection and ethical labour interventions.

He said Kuapa Kokoo was working hard to ensure that the objectives were strictly followed through.

Chief Nat

The Country Director for Millennium Promise Alliance, Chief Nat Ebo Nsarko, commended the old executives for lending a helping hand to propel the new executives to work towards a common goal.

He called on both executives to close their ranks and work hard towards a better Kuapa Kokoo.