COLOMBIAN WOMEN IN COCOA EMBARK ON FAMILIARISATION VISIT TO COCOBOD

Date: 27th May 2025

Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) recently welcomed a 25-member delegation of female cocoa farmers from Colombia who are in Ghana on a six-day familiarisation visit as part of efforts to encourage cross-cultural exchange and strengthen cooperation in sustainable cocoa production.

The visit is part of the Female Cocoa Growers Mentors Programme of Fondo Mujer, a Colombian mentorship initiative focused on promoting the economic autonomy and productivity of women in Colombia.

The delegation was led by the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Daniel Garcés Carabalí. They were received at COCOBOD Head Office on behalf of the Chief Executive, Dr. Ransford Abbey, by Deputy Chief Executives Dr. Francis Baah (Agronomy and Quality Control) and Dr. James K. Kutsoati (Operations).

H.E. Garcías expressed optimism about the growing bilateral relations between Ghana and Colombia, which have seen renewed momentum since the visit of the Colombian Vice President to Ghana in 2022. He conveyed warm regards from the Colombian government and affirmed his country’s commitment to deepening collaboration in sustainable agriculture.

Speaking on behalf of COCOBOD’s management, Dr. Francis Baah, Deputy Chief Executive for Agronomy and Quality Control, pledged full support for the delegation’s capacity-building efforts. He emphasised COCOBOD’s readiness to provide the necessary resources to enhance the group’s leadership and technical competencies.

Dr. James K. Kutsoati, Deputy Chief Executive for Operations, also expressed hope for a lasting partnership between the two nations. He noted that such collaborations should eventually benefit Ghanaian women in cocoa through similar exchange programmes aimed at enhancing their capacity in sustainable agriculture.

During their stay, the delegation will visit key cocoa establishments and institutions such as the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Farm, the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, and the Bunso Cocoa College. The objective of the tour is to strengthen technical skills, foster knowledge exchange, and promote sustainable cocoa production practices.

As part of the bilateral exchange, five Ghanaian female cocoa farmers would be selected to participate in the Fondo Mujer programme in Colombia later this year. The fully funded trip is a goodwill gesture from the Colombian government and underscores the growing cooperation between the two countries in the cocoa sector.