Mr. David Aidoo. Chief Cocoa farmer Cargill Akuafo Adamfo Cocoa Sustainability Project Started cocoa Farming1986 Acreage: 30

WHAT TO EXPECT.  Brief overview of CAACS  Benefits of certification to farmers  Challenges of certification. Farmers’ view  Some proposed recommendation by farmers  What farmers expect from Government bodies in relation to cocoa certification.

 Cargill Akuafo Adamfo Project is an initiative by Cargill to bring support to farmers and build their capacity to produce cocoa in a sustainable manner.  The project is implemented by Solidaridad W/A in collaboration with Akuafo Adamfo the second largest internal cocoa buying company.  Methods of training is through FFS, Farmer business school, training in certification standards, awareness creation in HIV/AIDs and other social issues. Agronomic training on the project is provided by COCOBOD Extension agents.  Increasing farmers access to recommended agro inputs, farm mapping, soil testing, and the provision both cocoa and other economic shade tree seedlings are among the long term goals.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION TO FARMERS  A lot farmers who attend farmers training do not put their lessons into practice. But farmers belonging to certification programs are entreated and motivated to put the Good Agriculture practice into real practice. Knowing that their farms and activities are monitored and inspected.  This normally result in lots of benefit in the long run.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION TO FARMERS Even though the project is only a year, we anticipate increase in yield because of the change in farming practice: Such as:  Pruning regularly  Timely application of fertilizer and other recommended agro-input.  Certified farmers today are all aware of their farm size. Agro-input therefore are applied correctly (Over use of fertilizer have increase soil acidity in the western region of Ghana)

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION TO FARMERS  Certification also encourages good community relation and transfer of knowledge and experiences among cocoa farmers.  Farmers are now very conscious of their environment. We no more encroach protected areas like forest reserve and water bodies, we incorporate cocoa plants with other economic trees for biodiversity, this we are told we help the cocoa plantation stay for a longer period of time.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION TO FARMERS  Training on simple methods of keeping records helps us to tell whether we make profit or loss in a particular year. This help farmers to take informed decisions.  I would want to stress on behave of all farmers that we all want our children to go to school. Reason why some children are not in school could be financial, or non existence of schools in some communities.  Through training and certification we are now aware of the rights of children and their education especially the girl child.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION TO FARMERS  Farmers will buy fertilizer, and other agro-inputs but will not take out money to buy Personal Protective Equipments like wellington boots, and overall clothes. Certifications somehow demands for it. This in the long run protects us in our farm activities.  Apart from increase in yield we anticipate, the premium we receive for certified beans motivates and also positively affects our livelihood.

CHALLENGES  The multiplicity of deferent certification projects and interventions in the same locality is getting a lot of farmers confuse. (Different players are implementing the same or different certification programs in the same area).  Farmers finds it difficulty in putting aside others activities to attend trainings.

CHALLENGES  Cost and availability of labour to undertake various farm activities.  Land tenure systems  Multiplicity of fake but cheaper agro- chemicals in the system.  High cost and non-readily available recommended agro-inputs.

RECOMMENDATION  some of the standards are too difficult to attain in the short term, they should be considered for a longer term. (e.g. Pruning)  Additional Livelihood Programs for Cocoa farmers should be made as part of certification.  The price of certified beans should be increased so that farmers portion of the premium could also be high.

Government should get involve For example COCOBOD is into the following:  Increasing farmers access to Agro-input through the cocoa Hi Tech program.  Rehabilitation of farms – To reduce the effect of Cocoa Swollen shoot.  Distribution of Seedlings of high quality  Guaranteed and stable cocoa prices throughout the season.  Cocoa farmers pension scheme, and Scholarships for children of cocoa farmers.

THANK YOU