Ghana's No1 Agric News Portal
Friday, February 3, 2023
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Farmers’ Stories
    • Women in Agriculture
    • PWDs in Agriculture
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Agri-Projects
  • Technology
  • Africa/World
  • Agri-Produce
    • Cash Crops
    • Food Crops
    • Livestock
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish Farming
  • More
    • Features
    • Opinions
    • Press Releases
    • Policies
    • Media
      • Podcast
      • Photos
      • Videos
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Farmers’ Stories
    • Women in Agriculture
    • PWDs in Agriculture
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Agri-Projects
  • Technology
  • Africa/World
  • Agri-Produce
    • Cash Crops
    • Food Crops
    • Livestock
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish Farming
  • More
    • Features
    • Opinions
    • Press Releases
    • Policies
    • Media
      • Podcast
      • Photos
      • Videos
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Dikoto Chief accused of selling off 250, 000 acres of cocoa farmlands to an Indian company to cultivate an oil palm plantation.

February 28, 2022
in News
0 0
0
cocobod-to-sign-a-1-5-billion-syndication-loan-for-2021-2022-cocoa-season
0
SHARES
30
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Ghana’s cocoa is one of the best in the world. It is cultivated in six regions in Ghana: Western, Central, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Ashanti, and the Volta regions. At its peak, it accounts for about 66% of the country’s foreign exchange.

Due to the high foreign exchange accrued from the cocoa sector over the years, the government introduced a policy to support cocoa farmers by providing fertilizer subsidy, free cocoa seedlings, free mass spraying programme among other interventions needed to boost cocoa production.

The story is however different in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality of the Western Region of Ghana. About 250, 000 acres of cocoa farms in the following communities Dikoto Junction, Wassa Kumasi, Abaase, Sebeho, Supanso, Appiakrom, Dikoto Krofrom, Ojugu, and Larbikrom among others have been earmarked for destruction by the Chief of Wassa Dikoto if authorities within the cocoa sector do not intervene immediately.

Community leaders say about 4000 cocoa farmers from the 13 cocoa-growing communities in the Dikoto-Nsuaem Traditional Area of the municipality will lose their farms in the coming weeks, as their landlord pushes through his plan to cut down cocoa farms to make way for an Indian company to cultivate an oil palm plantation instead.

This was disclosed during an interaction with members of the Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalist Association (GARDJA) when they visited the 13 cocoa-growing communities in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality in the Western Region to ascertain challenges confronting cocoa production in the region.

According to the farmers, the traditional ruler, Nana Ntiako Agyiri II, is actively pushing through a plan to establish an oil palm plantation and milling plant as part of his development agenda for the area.

But over four thousand cocoa farmers in the Dikoto-Nsuaem Traditional Area of the municipality vehemently oppose the idea.

Mr. Yaw Bioh, who has over 30 acres of cocoa farm says he does not support any project to cut down cocoa.

“Ghana, famous for its cocoa, at its peak, accounts for about 66% of the country’s foreign exchange; so why should personal interest supersede national interest?

If authorities don’t prevent the Chief and his investors from implementing this initiative; it may lead to conflict and increase poverty” he added.

Madam Yaa Pokuaa said she is shocked at the chief’s decision and fears it would rob her family of the only livelihood they have known for 40 years if nothing is done.

“Nana Ntiako Agyiri’s oil palm plantation project will adversely affect food security in the communities, adding her people have no plans of vacating their ancestral land for the Indian investor” she pointed out.

The chief of Dikoto junction, one of the affected communities, Nana Ayeh Gyampoh III, contended that several appeals to the traditional ruler to reconsider his decision fell on deaf ears, forcing them to petition the paramount chief of the Wassa Amenfi but the petition yielded no positive outcome.

Assemblyman for the Dikoto junction Electoral Area, John Bawuah, confirmed the narrative of the aggrieved farmers, emphasising that almost all the residents are against the chief’s plan.

According to the cocoa farmers and their community leaders, the situation forced them to reach out to EcoCare Ghana, a civil society organisation that specializes in environmental and human rights advocacy issues to intervene which they hope would yield some results in the coming days.

In an interview, Mr. Obed Owusu-Addai, the Managing Campaigner of EcoCare Ghana explained that his organisation took interest in the matter upon realising that the communities are cocoa-producing communities.

“Our inability to prevent the chief and his investors from implementing this initiative may lead to conflict, increase poverty, rural-urban migration, loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation and affect the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 1, 8, 13, and 15. It’s a human rights issue and we want to advocate ensuring that their basic human right is not trampled upon.

We know that the chief is converting the land into a mono-cultural oil palm plantation that does not support biodiversity.

Additionally, the Economic Plant Protection Act of 1979 says that cocoa is an economic plant and you cannot just cut it without recourse to COCOBOD and the laws of the state.

He might have his right to the land as the overlord, but his right is also within the greater context of Ghana as a whole.

EcoCare Ghana is not against the developmental agenda of the chief but he should not trample upon the rights of the indigenes and the migrants on the land.

We also hope that it should not be something that will bring environmental challenges to the people staying in these cocoa-growing communities” he pointed out.

Leaders from the 13 affected communities with support from EcoCare Ghana have petitioned the Wassa Amenfi East Assembly, District Administration of Ghana Cocoa Board, and the Forestry Commission on the matter.

The Municipal Chief Executive of the Assembly, Mr. Frederick Korankye, received the group’s petition and pledged to engage the parties for an amicable resolution.

“I admit the fact that Wassa Amenfi is known for cocoa farming. It’s our major occupation in this municipality and I will do my best to see how we can resolve this issue” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Dikoto, Nana Ntiako Agyiri II has declined comment on the accusations against him.

Source: Agrictoday.com.gh

Tags: COCOA FARMSDIKOTO CHIEFOIL PALM PLANTATION
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
I never used chemical fertilisers but I excelled – 2017 2nd National best farmer

Farming is the most Lucrative job – CEO of Okata Farms

June 6, 2020
Sugarcane farmers seek Gov’t support ahead of Sugar Factory reopening

Sugarcane farmers seek Gov’t support ahead of Sugar Factory reopening

June 12, 2020
The 2021 Livestock, Poultry, and Fisheries (LiPF) training trade show launched.

The 2021 Livestock, Poultry, and Fisheries (LiPF) training trade show launched.

March 6, 2021
2020 National Farmers’ Day Launched

2020 National Farmers’ Day Launched

September 29, 2020
The 2021 Livestock, Poultry, and Fisheries (LiPF) training trade show launched.

The 2021 Livestock, Poultry, and Fisheries (LiPF) training trade show launched.

12637
Resurgence of ‘fall armyworms’ – Farmers warned

Resurgence of ‘fall armyworms’ – Farmers warned

4425
New Agro Intervention Project Launched to Alleviate Poverty – Kintampo

New Agro Intervention Project Launched to Alleviate Poverty – Kintampo

3503
2020 National Farmers’ Day Launched

2020 National Farmers’ Day Launched

2587
USAID, Ministry of Fisheries outdoors scheme for Safe Fish Certification and Licensing

USAID, Ministry of Fisheries outdoors scheme for Safe Fish Certification and Licensing

February 1, 2023
Ghana-EU agribusiness online platform launched

Ghana-EU agribusiness online platform launched

February 1, 2023
EJN Awards Six Journalists Story Grants to Highlight Threats to Global Biodiversity

EJN Awards Six Journalists Story Grants to Highlight Threats to Global Biodiversity 

January 31, 2023
Crops Research Institute signs MoU to improve cassava utilization

Crops Research Institute signs MoU to improve cassava utilization

January 18, 2023
Agri Ghana Online

Agrighanaonline.com is your most authentic agricultural website. We bring you all agricultural news and information from Ghana and across the world.

  • News
  • Farmers’ Stories
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Africa/World
  • Agri-Produce
  • More

© 2020 Agri Ghana Online -Developed By Marvbel Koncepts.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Farmers’ Stories
    • Women in Agriculture
    • PWDs in Agriculture
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Agri-Projects
  • Technology
  • Africa/World
  • Agri-Produce
    • Cash Crops
    • Food Crops
    • Livestock
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish Farming
  • More
    • Features
    • Opinions
    • Press Releases
    • Policies
    • Media
      • Podcast
      • Photos
      • Videos

© 2020 Agri Ghana Online -Developed By Marvbel Koncepts.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In