The initiative, being introduced by Agroecom Ghana Ltd, a leading cocoa buying company in Ghana, will allow the beneficiary farmers to receive the tricycles after the payment of a deposit of GH¢2,000 and pay the remaining GH¢6,000 within a year.

This was announced by the Head of Africa, Ecom (parent company of Agroecom Ghana Ltd), Mr Rahul Gopinath, at a special function to launch the tricycle project dubbed “KAPO” at Akim Oda in the Birim Central Municipality in the Eastern Region.

Input launch

The occasion was used to launch three anti-capsid bug (‘akate’) agrochemicals by Crop Doctor (agro input division of Agroecom) to reduce losses farmers incur, due to attacks from ‘akate’ which were very prevalent in most cocoa growing areas of Ghana.

All the three agrochemicals approved by the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) and the Ghana Cocoa Board - Rockstar, Cocomate and Commander - would ease the challenges farmers encounter in their fight against ‘akate’ which happens to be the commonest pest and very destructive in the cocoa industry in the country.

The tricycles were specially made with the state of roads in the hinterlands, cocoa farming roads and mountainous areas in mind.

Mr Gopinath said Agroecom was the largest retailer of Ghana’s cocoa outside and key partner in the nation’s development, and added that it had taken that responsibility very seriously and had over the years introduced several innovations to boost their operations.

He mentioned some achievements, including being the first cocoa buying company to deploy computers to cocoa areas, first to introduce traceable supply chain for cocoa beans, first to introduce bar code and cocoa traceability among other initiatives.

Assurance

The General Manager of Crop Doctor (agro input division of Agroecom), Mr Richard Suwli, assured the farmers that Agroecom Ghana Ltd would continue to put in place prudent and appropriate strategies that stand the chance of enhancing the production of more cocoa and improve their lives as well.

He mentioned some of the measures being put in place to boost cocoa production and improve the lives of farmers as training them in the proper usage of the agrochemicals as well as giving them education on best farming and environmental practices for the farmers’ safety in their farms and at home.

The Queenmother of the Akim Kotoku Traditional Area, Nana Akua Asantewaa II, in an address read on her behalf, lauded the effort of Agroecom and its partner companies for all the good measures put in place not only to improve the production of cocoa but also to improve the standard of living of farmers.

She lamented the few women who were in the cocoa industry and called for more women to brace the odds and venture into the cocoa industry presently dominated by men, since they could make great strides.