GHANA – The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has introduced the Cocoa Management System, a comprehensive and integrated farmer database, to inform its operations and ensure effective and efficient management of the cocoa industry.

The CMS is an online portal that will capture the demographics of cocoa farmers, farm sizes, input supplies, payment transactions and facilitate the roll out of the Cocoa Farmers’ Pension Scheme, reports Ghana News Agency.

The system termed as a game-changer for the industry, will enhance transparency and be a link between the farmer, COCOBOD, service providers, input dealers/ suppliers and financiers.

Vice President Bawumia, speaking at the launch lauded the management of COCOBOD for implementing various innovative initiatives over the past three and half years, saying that, the CMS was in tandem with the government’s digitisation agenda to formalise the economy.

He said digitisation was revolutionising the global economy, therefore it was imperative to leverage on information technology to enhance productivity and promote accountability and transparency.

“The CMS if fully implemented, would create a central database for cocoa farmers, create inter and intra connectivity generation of cocoa industry players and transform the industry for the better.”

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD – Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo

Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD, highlighted that over the years they have implemented initiatives to address the myriad of challenges be-devilling the cocoa industry.

He mentioned some of the initiatives as early spraying, hand pollination, supply of slashes, pruning and irrigation of some cocoa farms to ensure all-year round water.

He was of the conviction that, the CMS if fully implemented, would create a central database for cocoa farmers, create inter and intra connectivity generation of cocoa industry players and transform the industry for the better.

The government has also set out policies such as the introduction of living income differential and increase in cocoa prices recently.

Further to that, Ivory Coast and Ghana, the two West African nations who together produce more than 60% of the world’s cocoa, have created a joint body to improve coordination in research, price setting and the fight against child labour.

The Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (ICCIG) will promote their cocoa industries internationally and defend their collective position in the global market.

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