Cocoa for conservation in Ghana

International

-DW News

Ghana,
Feb
10:
Ghana
is
the
world’s
second
largest
exporter
of
cocoa,
but
many
farmers
of
the
crop
struggle.
They
are
mostly
smallerholders
with
aging
plantations
that
are
susceptible
to
disease,
and
drought
brought
on
by
climate
change
is
making
life
even
more
difficult.
Most
earn
only
around
$2
a
day,
and
many
younger
people
are
leaving
their
communities
in
search
of
better
prospects
elsewhere.

In
western
Ghana’s
Bia
District,
the
Dutch
development
organization
SNV
is
trying
to
reverse
this
trend.
It
helps
cocoa
farmers
revive
their
plantations,
and
trains
them
in
effective,
eco-friendly
farming
techniques.

Smallholder
farmers
like
Orlando
Osmanu,
who
joined
the
program
in
2016,
are
now
able
to
make
a
good
living
from
cocoa
farming.
Osmanu’s
son
is
also
setting
up
his
own
plantation.
On
our
third
visit
to
the
region,
Global
Ideas
has
found
that
there
are
now
quite
a
few
young
cocoa
farmers
in
the
village
of
Nsowakron.
Has
the
tide
turned?

A
film
by
Gerlind
Vollmer
and
Richard
Ocloo.

Project
objective:
Conservation
and
sustainable
use
of
forest
resources
in
the
high
forests
of
Ghana.
The
main
aim
is
to
better
balance
increasing
cocoa
cultivation
with
forest
protection.
Among
other
things,
communities
are
working
with
cocoa
companies,
smallholder
farmers
and
local
authorities
to
develop
deforestation-free
supply
chains.

Project
partners:
The
Netherlands
Development
Organization
(SNV)
is
implementing
in
collaboration
with
the
Cocoa
Research
Institute
of
Ghana
and
the
Forestry
Commission
of
Ghana’s
Ministry
of
Agriculture,
among
other
partners.
The
project
is
supported
by
the
German
Federal
Ministry
for
the
Environment
as
part
of
the
International
Climate
Initiative
(IKI).

Project
duration:
January
2016
to
December
2021

Budget:
The
German
Federal
Ministry
for
the
Environment
is
funding
the
project
with
around
2200
euros.

Source: DW