Tuesday, 14 February 2023

Why the future of Ghana's cocoa sector is organic - bedrocked by agroforestry principles

As we celebrate our local equivalent of Valantine's Day, Chocolate Day, the point needs to be made, forcefully, that in an era of extreme weather, caused by global climate change, the future of Ghana's cocoa industry must be 100 percent organic  -  bedrocked on agroforestry principles.

 In that light, it matters not a whit,  what the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) does to boost the industry: artisinal chocolate manufacturing; mass hand-pollinating initiatives; high tech spraying  -  truth be told, they are all band-aid-solutions.

Alas, none of  those band-aid-solutions will secure the longterm survival of Ghana's cocoa industry.

The cocoa sector of Ghana is a vital economic-pillar, which will survive, grow and thrive, only if the COCOBOD converts it into a 100 percent organic sector, and makes Ghana the world's biggest organic cocoa producing nation. No question.

As the leading producer of organic cocoa, bedrocked on agroforestry principles, Ghana  can plan and execute a national green economy  initiative, enabling her to become the go-to supply-source, for supplying the world with the best organic  chocolates and other cocoa products. Simple.

Failure to comprehend this simple-truth, dear critical-reader,  disqualifies all those currently  leading the COCOBOD,  from continuing to lead it, because they are failing to see a plain-sight existential-threat.

Their  current old-model business-as-usual operational-mode, will be the death-knell of Ghana's cocoa industry, in an era of extreme weather caused by climate change, as sure as day follows night. The future of Ghana's cocoa sector is organic - bedrocked on agroforestry principles. Full stop. Case closed. Yoooooooo...

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