RESEARCH NEEDS FOR SUSTAINABLE COCOA PRODUCTION IN GHANA

Pests and diseases are a major cause of yield losses in cocoa production in West Africa. The most common in Ghana are: black pod disease, mirids and swollen shoot virus disease (Baah & Anchirinah, 2011). Though the incidence and impact of these diseases can be reduced by applying good agricultural practices and proper application of pesticides, this requires access to training and agrochemicals. Moreover, the potential of integrated pest management should be studied to reduce the need for pesticides on cocoa farms which would benefit the farmer as well as the environment. Finally, it is important to determine what the effect of shade will be on the occurrence of pests and diseases (Anon., personal communication).