Cocoa farmers’ cooperatives in Ghana are being admonished to shed partisan shackles and restructure their focus and mission on combating for farmers’ rights and cocoa’s future.
Cooperatives, as soon as envisioned engines of empowerment, and illustration of widespread targets, are sometimes faltered and hijacked for political events’ expediency, reasonably than progress of the unions.
Nation consultant of Solidaridad West Africa, Eric Amoako Agyari, urges leaders to be vigilant to forestall these associations from devolving into mere political instruments.
Cocoa farming is a necessary sector of Ghana’s financial system, with the nation being the world’s second-largest producer of cocoa beans, trailing solely behind Côte d’Ivoire.
As a result of challenges confronted by smallholder farmers, cooperatives are fashioned to deal with and enhance farmers’ livelihoods, pool sources, improve bargaining energy, and supply mutual help.
The newly launched Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Advertising Affiliation in Kumasi, is being urged to stay to their mission, and uphold members welfare.
Nation consultant for Solidaridad West Africa, Eric Amoako Agyari, advises cocoa cooperatives to take heed to their influence on members.
“Cooperatives have failed as a result of they grew to become automobiles for political events. However immediately, the truth is drowning on them to remodel and assume the vibrancy they’ve. Else they won’t be able to create the influence they want to create. Years again cooperatives had been used for political expediency. I encourage the leaders to take heed to these dangers so they do not danger this affiliation attending to combat for farmers and the event of cocoa,” he stated.
Established in November 2024 with help from Solidaridad below its RECLAIM Sustainability! (RS!) Programme, the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Advertising Affiliation is an umbrella physique comprising 75 cocoa farmers’ cooperative unions throughout 9 cocoa-growing areas in Ghana.
The affiliation goals to strengthen the illustration of cocoa farmers in decision-making processes in any respect ranges of the cocoa sector.
The launch introduced collectively key stakeholders, together with cocoa farmers’ cooperative unions, civil society organizations, policymakers, business consultants, conventional leaders, and different related establishments.
The affiliation, which is first of its sort within the cocoa sector, was launched below the theme: “Constructing a stronger voice via cooperatives to advertise sustainable livelihood for cocoa farmers,” aligning with the 2025 UN Worldwide Yr of Cooperatives targeted on how cooperatives construct a greater world.
President of the Affiliation, Issak Issifu is assuring union members of facilitating clean coverage implementation and guaranteeing these sources attain farmers successfully.
He highlighted challenges of farmers to incorporate low yields, poverty, local weather change, and restricted management over pricing as a result of state-regulated system managed by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
“Our Affiliation exemplifies this imaginative and prescient and operates on cooperative rules to strengthen farmers’ voices and illustration. As the federal government seeks to reintroduce free fertilizers, improved Seedlings, and agro-inputs to spice up cocoa yields, our Affiliation stands prepared with sturdy constructions in place.
“We’re dedicated to amplifying the voices of cocoa farmers, advocate for his or her rights and welfare, set up enterprises, and contribute to a sustainable and thriving cocoa sector in Ghana,” he stated.
Funded by the Dutch Ministry of International Affairs, the RS! Programme seeks to amplify the voices of farmers and employees in shaping private and non-private insurance policies that promote first rate working situations, equitable entry to pure sources, and honest worth distribution throughout provide chains.
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