5TH NATIONWIDE COCOA FARMERS RALLY HELD AT SAMREBOI TO SENSITISE FARMERS

Date: 12th September 2025

The 5th edition of the Nationwide Cocoa Farmers Rally, organised by My Cocoa Business and Truth TV in partnership with the Cocoa Health and Extension Division of COCOBOD, took place on Wednesday, 27th August 2025, at Mumuni Camp in the Samreboi District of the Western Region.

The event, which brought together hundreds of cocoa farmers and key stakeholders in the cocoa value chain, was aimed at sensitising farmers on Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs), COCOBOD operations, and other topical issues affecting the sector.

Key areas of discussion included the newly announced Producer Price of cocoa, strategies for combating child labour in cocoa-growing communities, the European Union Deforestation Regulation, the Cocoa Forests Initiative, and the rollout of the Cocoa Management System (CMS) and the Ghana Cocoa Traceability System (GCTS). Farmers were also reminded of the critical role of the cocoa card and its linkages to the traceability system.

Participants were briefed on the timely distribution of farm inputs, including over 150,000 bags of free fertiliser released to the Samreboi District, as well as free seedlings, fungicides, and insecticides to improve yields and ensure sustainability.

Delivering the keynote address, the Western South Regional Manager of CHED, Mr. Felix Kwame Quainoo, addressed concerns about farmers’ perceived dissatisfaction with the current cocoa producer price. 

He emphasised that at GH₵3,228 per bag, Ghana currently offers the best price in the entire West African sub-region. He therefore urged farmers to accept the new Producer Price in good faith, describing it as a step forward in ensuring better livelihoods for cocoa producers.

On his part, the Member of Parliament present at the rally highlighted the government’s commitment to road construction in the constituency, stressing that good road networks are critical for cocoa transportation. He further called for a review of the use of farmer cooperatives as the main channel for fertiliser distribution, suggesting that improvements in this system would ensure fairer and faster access to inputs.

The rally ended with a renewed call on farmers to adopt Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs) and take advantage of the free input support to enhance productivity while aligning with international sustainability standards.