COCOBOD Moves to Protect Cocoa Farms With New Law Against Illegal Mining

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at giving cocoa farms and trees legal protection similar to that enjoyed by forest reserves, as the country intensifies efforts to secure the future of the cocoa industry.

The proposed law is expected to provide a stronger framework to prevent the destruction of cocoa farms, particularly by illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.

The announcement was made at Goaso in the Ahafo Region during the 4th Annual General Meeting of Adom Cocoa Buying Company Limited, which brought together cocoa farmers, licensed buying companies and industry stakeholders from the Ashanti, Ahafo, Eastern and other cocoa-producing regions.

Representing the Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, the Deputy Director in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, Eric Amendo, said the increasing conversion of cocoa farms into illegal mining sites poses a serious threat to the survival of the sector.

He explained that the proposed legislation would empower authorities to take stronger action against individuals who destroy cocoa farms for mining purposes.

Mr Amendo noted that once the law is enacted, cocoa farmers would not be allowed to dispose of their farms for illegal mining activities, while miners would also be prohibited from entering cocoa farms without proper government approval.

He said the move has become necessary due to the growing destruction of cocoa-growing areas, which threatens both farmers’ livelihoods and Ghana’s position as one of the world’s leading cocoa producers.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Adom Cocoa Buying Company Limited, Patrick Owusu, appealed to government and COCOBOD to address challenges that affected farmers and licensed buying companies in the previous cocoa season.

He specifically called for measures to prevent delays in payments to farmers who sell their cocoa to COCOBOD, stressing that timely payments are essential to maintaining confidence in the cocoa value chain.

Mr Owusu urged authorities to strengthen systems within the industry to ensure farmers and stakeholders receive their payments promptly.

The Nifahene of Goaso, Nana Ata Asumadu, also called for greater support for cocoa farmers, highlighting the difficulties they face in producing the crop that remains a major contributor to Ghana’s economy.

He urged the government to prioritise the welfare of farmers and provide sustained support to help protect and grow the cocoa sector.

Yaw Opoku Amoako

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