The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) will tomorrow, hold a durbar of chiefs and people of Krodua, a cocoa community in the Eastern Region, to mark this year’s National Chocolate Day.
On the theme, ‘Youth in cocoa: Sustaining cocoa production’, the day is aimed at supporting the youth to take up cocoa farming, while encouraging them also to consume more cocoa.
As part of the programme, youth in the community will be involved in the celebration in order to symbolise their importance to the cocoa sector going forward.
It will also be used to register all interested youths and begin the process of forming a youth association in the area (Krodua Young Cocoa Farmers Association — KROFA), to unite them for national development.
“The decision to hold this year’s National Chocolate Day in the Eastern Regional town, follows a pledge by the chief of the town, Nana Anim II, to release 500 acres of fertile land to the youth of the community who may be interested in cocoa farming,” a press statement signed by Mr. Noah Amenya, Head of Public Relations at the COCOBOD said.
“Nana said this was part of his contribution to the youth in cocoa initiative which is aimed at encouraging the youth into cocoa farming,” the statement added.
The Youth in Cocoa Programme instituted by the COCOBOD under the leadership of Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, upon assumption of office in 2013, was to ensure sustainable cocoa production through massive involvement of the youth, among other interventions.
According to the COCOBOD, the implementation of the Youth in Cocoa initiative has so far seen the registration of more than 40,000 youths across the country, with more still coming on board.
The board adds that “if the programme is supported it will be a major boost to cocoa production in the country”.
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