Elected executives of the Kuapa Kooko Farmers Union (KKFU) have outlined a comprehensive roadmap which focuses on improving the welfare of cocoa farmers and increasing cocoa production.
The executives have identified input scheme and farm mapping, climate-smart Agric, gender and livelihood support as well as health and welfare as some of the key areas they believe will enhance the contribution of cocoa farmers.
The executives who took their turns to highlight the vision at a press soiree in Kumasi said they were committed to implementing it to benefit members of the union.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director for the Kuapa Kooko Limited (KKL), Samuel Adimado assured of the resolve of the leadership of the organization to fight corruption.
He said the pledge by the new executives to uphold transparency and accountability remains intact since they have endorsed the anti-corruption campaign adopted by the organization.
He revealed that the company during the 2016 and 2017 main season purchased 761,038 bags of cocoa and also purchased 61,083 bags during the 2017 light crop season.
He further said the total output for the 2016 and 2017 crop season purchases was 822,121 bags representing 51,382.56m/t.
The KKL market share he also disclosed has increased from 4.23% to 7% as of the current season.
“We have also moved from the LBC grade of 12th position to 5th position. We have further employed over 60 young graduates during the past eight months. The Quality Control Company can attest to the fact that Kuapa Kokoo was the 1st company among the LBCs to organize its farmers to recondition stocks of black beans for grading and sealing in their various depots across the country,” he added.
President for the Union, Fatima Ali revealed that plans are in place to encourage members to start expansion coffee production as the will soon set up of a coffee processing plant and a coffee plaza.
She also disclosed that the Union would distribute yam seeds to 300 farmers as well as give technical and extension services to the beneficiaries and to also help them gain market access.
“The Union will create a toll-free hotline call service centre to attend to the needs of farmers and also encourage access to head-office and improve agricultural information sharing. This will ensure prompt payment of bonuses and commissions, provide timely information to farmers on weather, farm inputs and market as well as create and disseminate best cocoa farming and agribusiness practices,” she added.
Mrs. Ali said the Union would continue to improve upon the knowledge base of its members on new agricultural technologies and techniques.
She indicated that the Union would further strengthen the link between cocoa farmers and the relevant technical agricultural services and academia including input and output markets.
The KKKFU President called on all members to support the new executives to enable them to work towards fulfilling the objectives of the union.
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Source: Citinewsroom.com
