Volta Region cocoa farmers receive 400,000 free seedlings
Afarinick Company Limited (ACL) has distributed more than 400,000 improved cocoa seedlings free of charge to farmers across the Volta Region to boost cocoa cultivation in the area.
The exercise took place at the company’s flagship cocoa project site at Kpando, where it has established a 2,000-acre sustainable commercial cocoa plantation, said to be the largest in the country.
The seedlings, developed from improved cocoa varieties, are designed to produce higher yields, offer better resistance to diseases and withstand changing climatic conditions.
Farmers from various districts in the region received the seedlings to support the establishment of new cocoa farms and the rehabilitation of old ones.
The initiative forms part of Afarinick’s broader commitment to providing farmers with access to quality planting materials and promoting sustainable cocoa expansion in the Volta Region and other suitable areas.
The event was attended by Members of Parliament for Kpando, Mr Sebastian Fred Deh; Hohoe, Mr Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo; Guan, Mr Fred Agbenyo; Biakoye, Mr Jean-Marie Formadi; and Ho Central, Mr Richmond Edem Kpotosu, as well as traditional authorities, cocoa farmers, agricultural stakeholders and development partners.
Speaking at the event yesterday, the Programmes Manager of Afarinick Company Limited, Ms Davida Pappoe, said the free distribution of improved cocoa seedlings formed part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to support farming communities and promote the sustainable growth of Ghana’s cocoa sector.
She explained that through investment in seedling production and the supply of quality planting materials, the company is aimed to support cocoa expansion, improve farm productivity and create sustainable livelihoods for rural households, particularly in emerging cocoa-growing areas such as the Volta Region.
Ms Pappoe noted that as the backbone of Ghana’s economy, deliberate efforts must be made to sustain the cocoa sector, which has significant potential to create employment for the youth.
The Members of Parliament commended Afarinick for its investment in the cocoa sector, which they said had seen limited private sector participation over the years.
Mr Deh described the project as a transformative initiative capable of positioning the Volta Region as a key hub for cocoa production and agribusiness development.
Mr Tsekpo and Mr Formadi also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting cocoa expansion in their constituencies, citing that cocoa farming had the potential to create jobs, increase incomes and drive rural development.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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