Ghanaian cocoa farmers have been encouraged to take their farming activities as a business for sustainable growth.
The Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Jeroen Verheul observed that mindset will see farmers increase their incomes by enhancing yield.
“Farming should be seen as a business. This way, farmers will complement government and stakeholders’ investments in the sector to enhance productivity”, H.E. Jeroen Verheul noted.
The diplomat made this know during an interaction with officials from Cocoa Health Extension Division (CHED) of Ghana Cocoa Board in Bono and Ashanti region.
Some farmers often see the venture as a way of life, hence do not invest adequate resources in it.
Ashanti regional manager of CHED, Kwadwo Osei Danso shared similar sentiment.
“Naturally, people go to every length to protect their investments. So, if farmers think of their activities as business, they will adopt best practices to sustainably increase their income. This will also help the country increase production”.
The Dutch Ambassador is on a 3-day working visit to cocoa growing communities in the Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo, and Western North regions to assess the impact of a Dutch funded projects being implemented by Solidaridad in the cocoa sector.
He visited some Rural Service Centers; supply chain structures established by young entrepreneurs with support from Solidaridad as a private-sector-driven vehicle that provides services such as training and access to inputs and financing to smallholder farmers to increase their productivity and sustainability.
By Ibrahim Abubakar|3news.com|Ghana