Gold Fields Ghana Foundation under its Cocoa Farmers Support Programme is investing over US$28,000 to support a total of 120 farmers this year, 2024.
These farmers will receive COCOBOD-approved fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides to enhance their cocoa production.
Speaking to one of the beneficiaries of the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme, Mr Baaba Sintim from the Bompieso community told the media that he has benefited from the programme for three consecutive years.
He added that before the programme, like many of his fellow farmers, he struggled to get farm inputs for his cocoa farm production; however, with the introduction of the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme, everything has changed.
“I used to harvest about 8 to 10 bags from my two-acre cocoa farm each season, just enough to sustain myself and my immediate family, but never enough to truly prosper”.
“For three consecutive years, I have received fertilizer, pesticides and fungicides from the programme. These farm inputs have been my allies, empowering me to nurture my cocoa trees like never before”.
He stressed that “With each application, I could see the difference in the health and vigour of my crops”.
“I now proudly harvest around 18 to 20 bags of cocoa each season from the same farm. This significant increase has not only improved my standard of living but has also filled me with a newfound sense of pride and accomplishment”, he said.
Another beneficiary of the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme, Madam Esther Aggrey also from Bompieso said her cocoa tress suffered diseases and pests attacks as she could not afford to buy fungicides and pesticides to help her crops.
She mentioned that she received pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers to help her reclaim her cocoa farm from pests and diseases.
She added that everything got better for her when she was enrolled on the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme in 2022; thus, she no longer had to stand by helplessly as her farm suffered.
“With the support from the programme, I received pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers to help me reclaim my cocoa farm from pests and diseases”.
“I now harvest more than 12 bags of cocoa from my farm as compared to the previous 3 – 5 bags I used to harvest”.
“For the first time in a long while, I feel hopeful about my cocoa farm. Every season, my farm gets better and better. I am getting more cocoa than I ever thought possible. What used to be a hard struggle to keep my farm alive has turned into a journey of success and growth”, she narrated.
Madam Aggrey also said the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme did not only save her farm but also gave her hope for the future.
In 2021, the Foundation donated spraying machines to the farmers to aid in the application of agrochemicals.
The Foundation indicated that the programme was hatched to support farmers’ efforts in obtaining inputs.
The introduction of the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme according to Gold Fields Ghana Foundation was a demonstration that mining can coexist with agriculture and even go a step further to boost agricultural production if carried out sustainably.
The Cocoa Farmers Support Programme which was launched in host communities of the Damang Mine in 2018 has supported a total of 600 farmers.
These farmers have received COCOBOD-approved fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides to enhance their cocoa production.
The programme has since its inception been executed in partnership with the Cocoa Health and Extension Division, the Huni Valley Cocoa Farmers Association of Ghana, the Cocoa Coffee Shea Nut Farmers’ Association, and the Damang Mine Consultative Farmers Association (DMCFA).
Gold Fields Ghana Foundation since its founding in 2002, has invested over US$ 6.9 million in enterprise development in its host communities. This includes various livelihood support programmes such as the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme.
