The Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya North Constituency, Frank Yeboah, has joined the Minority Caucus in Parliament in a direct engagement with cocoa farmers across key cocoa-growing communities in the Ashanti Region, as part of efforts to better understand and advocate for the challenges confronting the sector.
The exercise commenced at Juansa in the Bosome Freho District, where the delegation met with cocoa farmers whose contributions remain central to Ghana’s agricultural economy and export earnings. The interaction provided a platform for farmers to candidly share their experiences and the pressing difficulties they face in sustaining production.
During the engagement, farmers highlighted a range of concerns, including rising cost of inputs, limited access to essential farming resources, price uncertainties, and inadequate institutional support. Many expressed worry over the sustainability of cocoa farming if urgent interventions are not implemented to address these challenges.
Speaking during the visit, Hon. Frank Yeboah underscored the importance of direct engagement with farmers, noting that such interactions enable policymakers to gain firsthand insight into the realities on the ground. He stressed that cocoa farmers continue to play a pivotal role in Ghana’s economic stability and must therefore be supported with responsive and farmer-centered policies.
The Minority Caucus also used the opportunity to raise concerns about what they described as the lack of adequate attention to the plight of cocoa farmers under the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration. According to the delegation, there is an urgent need for policy direction that prioritizes the welfare of farmers and ensures fair and rewarding returns for their labour.
Hon. Yeboah reiterated that cocoa farmers remain the backbone of Ghana’s cocoa industry and a vital pillar of national development. He called for strengthened interventions, including improved pricing mechanisms, increased access to inputs, and sustainable support systems that will enhance productivity and secure livelihoods.
He further described the engagement at Juansa as insightful and productive, emphasizing that it marks the beginning of a broader initiative by the Minority Caucus to amplify the voices of cocoa farmers and channel their concerns into national discourse and policy formulation.
The Minority Caucus assured the farmers of its unwavering commitment to championing reforms that will protect their interests, strengthen the cocoa sector, and ensure a more sustainable and prosperous future for the thousands of Ghanaians who depend on cocoa farming for their livelihoods.
