COCOBOD Partners Chrys Fiber, GKC Structures In Sustainable Seedling Production

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is pioneering environmentally sustainable cocoa seedling production through partnerships with CHRYS FIBRE and GKC STRUCTURES LTD. Traditionally, cocoa seedlings have been cultivated using topsoil in polythene bags, which has caused significant environmental issues like soil degradation and plastic waste.

With global demand for sustainable cocoa increasing, COCOBOD is embracing innovative nursery technologies to protect the environment while still producing high-quality planting materials. Over the past three years, the Seed Production Division (SPD) of COCOBOD has worked with CHRYS FIBRE, a company specializing in soilless growing media, to explore eco-friendly alternatives.

CHRYS FIBRE has developed a soilless growing media and alternative receptacles to polythene bags, eliminating the need for continuous topsoil stripping and reducing plastic waste. To ensure successful adoption, CHRYS FIBRE and GKC STRUCTURES LTD organized a capacity-building programme for COCOBOD staff at the Cocoa Research Institute in Tafo, Eastern Region.

The training provided practical skills to handle, prepare and utilize the soilless media and receptacles under Ghanaian production conditions. Dr. Francis Kwame Padi, Executive Director of SPD, emphasized the importance of the training, stating that it equips officers with the knowledge and skills to work with new technologies, improving seedling production while safeguarding the environment.

Joseph Evans Tetteh, Finance and Administrative Officer of CHRYS FIBRE LTD, added that the collaboration aims to ensure proper understanding and application of the technology to take this innovation further. COCOBOD's objective is not only to produce seedlings but to ensure that the process aligns with environmental conservation and sustainable cocoa production principles, marking a step towards a greener cocoa sector.