CHED GETS SUPPORT FROM SOCODEVI OF CANADA

Date: 06th May 2024

A Canadian Non-Governmental Organization based in Ghana, Société de Coopération pour le Développement International (SOCODEVI) has presented 4 Desktop Computers and 2 Laptops to the management of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) to support the division in its data collection and processing activities amongst co-operatives in cocoa growing communities across the country.

The donation forms part of the ‘Together Project’, an initiative for women and cocoa-growing communities which is being funded by Global Affairs Canada. 

The handing over took place at the Headquarters of COCOBOD in Accra last Thursday by officials of SOCODEVI, led by its Country Director, Nicolas Demers-Labrousse and Martha Rayner Opoku Mensah, Principal Coordinator for the ‘Together Project’.

The project, which was launched in March 2023, also seeks to address climate change and environmental protection by working with growers and government and private agencies in cocoa-growing communities.

In his remarks, the Country Director of SOCODEVI, Mr. Nicolas Demers-Labrousse expressed his outfit’s commitment towards improving the lives of communities, and empowering women co-operatives in order to help address the issue of gender-based barriers in the cocoa industry.

He stated through the initiative, SOCODEVI is seeking to impact the livelihoods of 3,000 women and 1000 youth from two cocoa-growing regions including Ashanti and Western North Regions, stressing that the project, since its inception, has recorded huge successes.

The Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control, Dr. Ebenezer Owusu, who received the items on behalf of management, commended SOCODEVI for the kind gesture and expressed the hope that the collaboration between the two entities will continue to grow stronger.

“We appreciate SOCODEVI-Ghana’s commitment to supporting our mission. These computers will undoubtedly help in our efforts towards climate-smart agricultural practices, ensuring sustainable cocoa production and improving the livelihoods of our hardworking cocoa farmers.” Dr. Ebenezer Owusu noted.

The Executive Director of CHED, Rev. Edwin Afari, underscored the importance of empowering extension agents at the district levels with the requisite logistics to help in data collection and monitoring, stressing that CHED has over the years benefitted immensely from the collaboration between COCOBOD and SOCODEVI.

Also present at the presentation were the Director of Research, Dr. Francis Baah and Deputy Director, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Paul Ntim.