Days of diverting cocoa inputs are over’ – COCOBOD CEO

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced the end of days where cocoa inputs could be diverted or hoarded without detection. Chief Executive Officer Dr Randy Abbey warned against smuggling and illegal sales, stating that a new digital monitoring system would make it easier to prosecute offenders. This comes as the board relaunched its Free Fertiliser Distribution Programme, which now includes a digital tracking mechanism to monitor every consignment from the warehouse to the intended farmer.

Eligibility is restricted to registered cocoa farmers with mapped farms, and farmers must present their farmer identification cards, Ghana Cards, or biometric details at distribution centers. The system will determine the quantities allocated to each farmer based on farm size and condition, eliminating the possibility of altering individual allocations.

The digital monitoring process aims to reduce favoritism and ensure smallholder farmers, women, young farmers, and elderly producers receive their allocations without paying unofficial fees. COCOBOD Board Chairman Dr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo reaffirmed the government's commitment to raising cocoa production and improving farmer incomes, as part of efforts to reset the cocoa sector.