Cocobod Engages Media On Farmer Census
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Cocobod, Dr Emmanuel Opoku says the much talked about cocoa marketing system being implemented by his outfit is only a census on farmers in the country.
The motive of the census, he noted, was to have data on all farmers including their farm size, land size and members of their households.
Addressing the media at a night event in Kumasi, the Deputy CEO said that the census would help cocobod keep track of farmers and their farms nationwide.
With a database of all farmers on its system, Dr Opoku said his outfit would then be able to plan and distribute fertilizers and other essential items for them.
OTHER ADVANTAGES:
Mentioning other advantages of the new system, the Deputy CEO said registered farmers would not travel long distances to access their funds.
Funds would be wired to them electronically after sales and thereby reduce incidences of robbery and attacks on their persons as a result of carrying money on themselves.
The new system, Mr Opoku indicated has also been designed to keep track of vehicles ferrying cocoa from farmlands to cocoa buying offices and stations.
He also revealed that data on farmers would also qualify their households and dependants for sponsorship that may be determined by cocobod.
REGISTRATION:
Earlier on, Public Relations Head at Cocobod, Fiifi Boafo revealed that about 800, 000 farmers have been captured on the system.
The registration, he noted has begun and farmers on the Western South have had their data and details captured alongside their households and dependants.
He noted it was important that media persons had adequate information about the Cocoa marketing system so they can understand and provide support to cocobod as it embarks on this drive and to ensure a smooth process.
Mr Boafo said the media by the information available can best educate the public and disseminate the same information to other farmers who may have their farms elsewhere but are resident in the Ashanti Region.
From Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Ksi
