By: Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board, COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo has revealed that, Agriculture in Ghana must be seen as business and value addition.
He said this view, aided by the value chain approach is changing national policies, strategies, and programmes, attracting investments, especially into exportable value chains.
However, he mentioned that most smallholders and many agricultural value chains remain underinvested.
Mr. Boahen Aidoo was speaking at the Maiden Graduation and Second Matriculation Ceremony of the Bunso Cocoa University College, BCUC at Bunso in the East Akyim Municipality of the Eastern Region.
He maintained that the future of agriculture is about science, technology and education.
The Rector of Bunso Cocoa University College, Mrs. Dr. Mercy Asamoah noted that the College has drafted a five-year development plan that dovetails into the tree crop sector through research driven approach, practical as well as theoretical approach to tree crop development in the country.
She mentioned that the college has also developed short tailor made courses for workers, farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
The Rector hinted that the college is working assiduously towards attaining a fully-fledged university status.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crop Development Authority, TCDA, William Agyapong Quaitoo pleaded with chiefs and other stakeholders to help fight human activities such as illegal mining, deforestation and illegal logging of trees that that is affecting tree crop development.
In all 69 students completed the three year Diploma Programme in Agronomy and extension in coffee and cocoa with 21 obtaining First Class Honours, 31 gaining Second Class Upper, 16 getting Second Class Lower Division and a student obtaining pass.
The Overall Best Student went to Abdulai Ismaila.
The Bunso Cocoa College is the premier training college of Ghana Cocoa Board.
It was established in 1950 at Bunso as the Agricultural Training School under the department of Agriculture’s Cocoa Division, to train field assistants for the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease Control Programme.
In 1977, the school was upgraded to the status of a college and began a three-year certificate course in General Agriculture with specialization in Cocoa and Coffee production for trainee Senior Technical Assistants.
