By Kingsley Webora Tankeh
Mr Kwame Alex from the Western North Region emerged as the 2024 National Best Cocoa Farmer at the 40th National Farmers’ Day Awards held in Accra.
After completing basic school at Kwahu Esaase in the Eastern Region, Mr. Kwame travelled with a friend to Abidjan to work as cocoa plantation field staff. Having worked for three years there, he returned to Huni-Valley to start his own cocoa farm.
Within a period of 25 years of hard work and dedication, Mr. Kwame Alex moved from a mere sharecropper to owning 26 different farms. The farms sum up to a total of 52.18 hectares, well maintained with the best agronomic and agroforestry practices, incorporating social and environmental compliance.
He was adjudged the District Best Cocoa Farmer in 2019, Regional Most Enterprising Best Cocoa Farmer in 2020 and National Most Promising Young Cocoa Farmer in 2021 in a succession.
During the 2023/2024 crop season, he contributed 3,547 bags to the national production. He also rears livestock. He owns 5,000 poultry birds, 30 pigs, 7 cattle and many more.
It is therefore not surprising that he emerged the National Best Cocoa Farmer at the 40th National Farmers’ Day Awards.
Amidst challenges with production targets due to climate change, smuggling, and pests and diseases consistently affecting cocoa yields in Ghana, farmers like Kwame and the other cocoa farmers across the country and those who were awarded at the 40th National Farmers’ Day relentlessly put in the effort to shore up production of Ghana’s major cash crop.
In honouring the hard work of the farmers, President Akufo-Addo announced an upward adjustment of the cocoa farm-gate prices at the Farmers’ Day Awards night in Accra. This pushed the price of a bag of cocoa from 3,000 cedis to 3,100 cedis and the price of a ton from 48,000 cedis to 49,000 cedis. He further instructed COCOBOD to sponsor tertiary education of the children of cocoa farmers.
Reacting to the announcement, Mr. Kwame Alex described it as “unexpected” and said that will motivate them to increase production and entice others too to go into cocoa farming.
“It is first of its kind,” he added.
Cocoa is a national strategic commodity that rakes in foreign exchange into the Ghanaian economy and should be protected and harnessed for its full benefits.
In view of this, the COCOBOD, under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, launched the Productivity Enhancement Programme in 2017, to shore up production and further solidify Ghana’s position on the global market as the second largest producer of cocoa.
This, according to the award winners, was a contributing factor to their high crop yield. Mr. Kwame’s annual yield skyrocketed from an annual average of 640 kilograms, equivalent to 10 bags per hectare, to 4,350.64 kilograms, equivalent to 68 bags per hectare in 2023/2024.
In addition to the national awards, Cocobod has presented prizes to the winners of the 2024 best farmers in the shea, coffee, and cocoa categories at its headoffice in Accra.
Mr Alex was presented with a Toyota Hilux Double Cabin Pick-up, a standard pruner, cocoa products, a plaque, and safety goggles. He also got two respirators, ear protectors, hand gloves, Wellington boots, and a motorised sprayer.
The 67-year-old enthusiastic cocoa farmer from Wasa Congo in the Western South Region, Madam Yaa Adjeley, who won the 2024 National Most Enterprising Female Cocoa Farmer Award, was presented with a cheque for GHC 80,000 from the Cocoa World Foundation. She was also presented with a single-cabin mini truck, a tricycle, a standard pruner, cocoa products, and a plaque.
Expressing her appreciation, she said, “Considering my age, I will only channel my excitement into encouraging and imbuing young Ghanaians to venture into agriculture.”
Mr Solomon Tohola from Assin Fosu in the Central Region won the 2024 National Most Promising Cocoa Farmer Award. He was presented with a single-cabin mini truck, a tricycle, a standard pruner, cocoa products, and a plaque.
While sharing his excitement, Mr. Tohola said he views the award as a stepping stone for higher achievements. He asserted, “I will win the National Best Farmer next year.”
Ms Winifred Batabana from the Savana region won the National Shea Nut Picker and was presented with a tricycle, pairs of hand gloves, pairs of Wellington boots, overalls with hats, a Polo T-shirt, solar torchlights, cocoa products, a plaque, and machetes.
Mr Victor Benefo won the Best Coffee Farmer with a tricycle, pairs of hand gloves, pairs of Wellington boots, overalls with hats, a Polo T-shirt, solar torchlights, cocoa products, a plaque, and others.
Mr Alex on behalf of the winners, thanked the government and all for the honour done them, stressing that the awards would spur them to do more to strengthen the cocoa sector.
This year’s celebration was on the theme “Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security,” emphasising the need for climate-smart agriculture in Ghana. 17 farmers and fishers were awarded in 17 categories at the 40th National Farmers’ Day Award.
