District Cocoa Officer (DCO) for Juaboso in the Western North Region, Samuel Tabri, has stated that his outfit will beat the deadline for the clearing of the backlogs of unplanted cocoa farms in the District.
He said they had been given up to June to complete this assignment, however, they have given themselves up to the ending of May to complete it. And as at now, they have already cleared about 96% of the backlog, emphasizing that by mid June, they would have completed it all.
Mr. Tabri disclosed this in an interview in his office at Juaboso last Tuesday, June 6, 2023, following an enquiry by this reporter on the movement of plantain suckers in the District.
Plantain suckers on Wheels
For some time now, articulated trucks, loaded with plantain suckers have been cris crossing the Aowin, Juaboso and Bodi Districts. It was against this background that we approached the DCO to find out what it is all about.
Taking his time to explain, the DCO stated that the plantain suckers are meant to provide shade for the young cocoa seedlings planted on cut cocoa farms in their young stages. He stated that the suckers have their nursery at Dadieso, from where they are transported all over the place.
BACKGROUND
Mr. Tabri explained that following the failure of the exercise and the numerous complaints from farmers, COCOBOD, in conjunction with its affiliates have provided funds and given contracts to Kuma Afrimax to undertake the nursery of plantain suckers to be planted on those cut cocoa farms.
Cut cocoa farms and Re-habitation
The DCO explained that following the spread of a viral disease on cocoa farms in the Western North Region, COCOBOD detected the outbreak, identified individual cocoa farmers, whose farms had been affected by the disease and cut down the diseased cocoa trees for re-habitation. This is because, cocoa is the backbone of Ghana’s Economy.
However, the initial re-habitation of those cut cocoa farms met a number of challenges. It is against this background that they have changed the method to enable them achieve their aim of re-habitating the cut cocoa farms.
FARMERS ARE OUR WORKERS
Mr.Tabri pointed out that following the failure of gangs to have under taken the planting and weeding of affected cocoa farms, farmers, who weed their own farms and plant seedkings are their workers. According to him they are expected to weed their farms five(5) times in the year and each weeding session attracts a payment. Also, they are supplied with free cocoa seedlings and free plantain suckets to provide shave for the planted cocoa seedlings.
MORE FARMERS COMPLAIN
Asked if he was aware that more farmers are still complaining about the neglect of their cocoa farms, he asnwered that he was not aware. This is because he took office recently.
However, if any such complaints get to him he will solve is speedily.
By S.O Ankamah, Sefwi Juaboso