COCOBOD has created a new platform, the Ghana Cocoa Platform to incorporate the activities and views of all stakeholders in the production, processing and export of cocoa beans.
The platform is also aimed at adding value to the beans before it is exported.
Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa after Ivory Coast. COCOBOD is currently purchasing cocoa beans in the light season.
Speaking to Citi Business News after a workshop to demonstrate how the platform works, Director in Charge of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Vincent Akomeah explained that the platform will particularly take the views of Cocoa farmers.
He added that, the Ghana Cocoa Platform will support stakeholders to provide convening and coordination on technical issues beyond the topic of extension and into other thematic areas of the cocoa sector that would benefit from a public private partnership approach to cocoa development.
“The platform, through plenary sessions provides opportunities for a wider inclusion of sector stakeholders to discuss a mirage of issues that will have a positive impact on the Ghanaian cocoa sector,” he said.
Mr. Akomeah pointed out that the Platform is to be led by COCOBOD, with UNDP providing technical advice, facilitation and organization support to set up and run the platform.
Touching on the governance structures, he stated that the form will permit all the active stakeholders to provide leadership in the platform.
He stressed that the object of the Platform is to boost sustainable production in Ghana´s cocoa sector through enhanced partnership and cooperation among stakeholders.
Providing more details, Mr. Akomeah announced that the Platform’s Implementing Agency (COCOBOD) is responsible for the overall implementation of the cocoa platform.
He explained that the platform has four related bodies — the Platform Steering Committee (SC), Platform Plenary group, Platform Technical Committees and the Platform Coordination Unit (PCU).