West Africa accounts for nearly three quarters of the world’s cocoa production. Millions of people are employed by the sector or indirectly rely on cocoa farming to make a living. Analysts are projecting that this season cocoa production is likely to surpass more than 2.8 million tons during a year-long period that began in October 2012.
The West African nations of Ivory Coast and Ghana are the two leading Cocoa producers in the world followed by other producers including, Nigeria, and Cameroon. The majority of cocoa produced in the region is grown by small-scale farmers who are located in remote areas.
Cocoa farmer Eugene Koffi Anzoua works in his field in the Brofodoume region in Ivory Coast, picking cocoa pods, drying and cleaning the beans — all in the name of quality.
“A week after drying, we proceed to marketing our produce to buyers. If there is a co-operative, we deliver the goods to this which carries it to the port,”
Cocoa is a delicate and sensitive crop and farmers must protect trees from the wind and sun. They must also fertilize the soil and watch for signs of distress including attack from pests and disease. Some farmers have limited access to credit and have difficulty in obtaining farming supplies. Paul Mensal, secretary of a local Cocoa Farmers Association in Ghana observes that the government has not done enough to help the farmers.
“The yields for this year have gone down due to lack of spraying materials. The amount this year has decreased totally. We are suffering; pests are spoiling our Cocoa. I suggest that the government must supply us with more chemicals. The price that the government is giving us is very, very low. Its two dollars to the kilo and we the farmers suggest that they must buy that at five dollars,”We Need Reasonable investors those willing to be Rich.
The West African nations of Ivory Coast and Ghana are the two leading Cocoa producers in the world followed by other producers including, Nigeria, and Cameroon. The majority of cocoa produced in the region is grown by small-scale farmers who are located in remote areas.
Cocoa farmer Eugene Koffi Anzoua works in his field in the Brofodoume region in Ivory Coast, picking cocoa pods, drying and cleaning the beans — all in the name of quality.
“A week after drying, we proceed to marketing our produce to buyers. If there is a co-operative, we deliver the goods to this which carries it to the port,”
Cocoa is a delicate and sensitive crop and farmers must protect trees from the wind and sun. They must also fertilize the soil and watch for signs of distress including attack from pests and disease. Some farmers have limited access to credit and have difficulty in obtaining farming supplies. Paul Mensal, secretary of a local Cocoa Farmers Association in Ghana observes that the government has not done enough to help the farmers.
“The yields for this year have gone down due to lack of spraying materials. The amount this year has decreased totally. We are suffering; pests are spoiling our Cocoa. I suggest that the government must supply us with more chemicals. The price that the government is giving us is very, very low. Its two dollars to the kilo and we the farmers suggest that they must buy that at five dollars,”We Need Reasonable investors those willing to be Rich.
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