RESEARCH NEEDS FOR SUSTAINABLE COCOA PRODUCTION IN GHANA

The Cocoa Health and Extension Division of COCOBOD is the department that is responsible for extension services to cocoa farmers. This is done through the Cocoa Extension Public-Private Partnership (CEPPP) which was launched in 2010. In this partnership, COCOBOD and its subsidiaries collaborate with companies and NGOs in delivering training in cocoa cultivation and livelihood improvements (Laven & Boomsma, 2012; MoFA, 2014).

From 1998 until 2010, cocoa extension was unified with other agricultural extension services and brought under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. However, due to concerns about efficiency it was brought back under COCOBODs responsibility. Because of these recent changes, cocoa extension is not yet effectively set up (Anon., personal communication). Moreover, there is a significant knowledge gap for extension officers when it comes to environmental issues. In the past, extension primarily focussed on cocoa productivity and often left out the environmental impacts of cultivation. Extension has only recently included the promotion of shade tree planting on farms, it therefore does not have a strong focus on biodiversity conservation yet. In general it appears that there are not enough adequate extension officers to provide general training on cocoa cultivation, let alone on the biodiversity aspects (Anon., personal communication). Therefore, there is a need to incorporate topics like biodiversity and climate change in extension programmes and to educate extension officers on these topics.

Extension is supposed to serve as an institutional arrangement to support farmers. However, when this is not functioning properly, it might be relevant to understand who farmers turn to with their problems, for example in remote areas with limited access to extension. This could create an understanding of what is already available and how it can be improved. Improved extension can also entail the involvement of the communities, for example by training young people to contribute to extension. Finally, improved farmer organisation can also make it easier for farmers to access extension since it makes them more accessible and empowers them to communicate their needs.