The training, spread across a three-year period, is being supported by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBO) and the Yayra Glover Limited (YGL), a licensed organic cocoa producing and buying company, based at Suhum, in the Eastern Region.

The goal is to provide the farmers with the technics and skills on how to effectively apply organic fertilizers and pesticides on their farms to aid improved yield quality of cocoa beans.

Mr Yayrator Glover, Chief Executive Officer of the company, who made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said so far 5,000 of these farmers have completed the training and have received certification as organic cocoa producers in Ghana.

He said YGL, one of the world’s leading producer and supplier of organic cocoa products, was committed to supporting Ghanaian cocoa farmers to engage in the natural processes in cocoa production.

“This would pave way for the country to gain international recognition and certification as a high standard organic cocoa producer”, he said.Mr Glover said the increasing risks associated with the wrong use of chemical fertilizers to cause food poisoning to both the cocoa farmer and the cocoa consuming public, has necessitated the wide use of organic fertilizers.

Additionally, excessive use of chemical fertilizers destroys the flora and fauna and disorganized biodiversity.However, the use of organic fertilizer has the advantage to build healthier soil -makes the soil loose and light, provide moisture and nutrients to foster growth soil and micro-organism growth for the enhancement of a healthier plants and root development.

It also improves water movement in the soil, adds structure to it and maintains soil fertility for a higher crop yield.Mr Glover said due to its organic nature, YGL products have ready markets in Switzerland and other European Union (EU) markets and United States of America (USA).

He said the “Barbara Kronner Schokoladen Manufaktur”, a German chocolate manufacturing company at Bavaria, has offered to support cocoa farmers in Ghana to raise production through the use of organic fertilizers.

Mr Glover appealed to COCOBOD to continue to support the project to make it sustainable.