Cocoa Farmers Plead for Urgent Support as Illegal Mining Threaten Livelihoods

Frustrated cocoa farmers in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipality in the Western  North Region are calling for urgent support from the government and various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), as illegal mining (galamsey) activities continue to threaten cocoa production and their livelihoods.

According to the farmers, galamsey has led to the degradation of their farmlands, deforestation and depletion of ecosystems that support cocoa production.  This, coupled with the lower farmgate price of cocoa, has left many without adequate income and struggling to meet basic needs, especially paying bills and catering for their families.

This was revealed when a team from EcoCare Ghana and journalists visited some farming communities in the municipality to assess the living conditions of farmers after the reduction of farm gate prices of cocoa due to the drop in the international market.

The farmers added that they are unable to benefit from premium cocoa pricing due to the impact of galamsey on their farming practices. According to them, illegal mining activities have made it difficult to implement climate-smart and organic farming methods required to meet certification standards, thereby denying them access to premium markets. They explained that without the ability to practice sustainable farming, their produce is sold at lower prices, further worsening their financial situation.

Prince Sakyi, a cocoa farmer, shared his concerns, stating that cocoa farming is no longer as profitable as it used to. “There is not as much money in cocoa as before. I am in crisis, and I sometimes have to solicit funds from other family members and neighbours to cater for my family’s needs,” he said.

The farmers further indicated that cocoa farming has become increasingly expensive, with low returns, making it unattractive to the youth. They noted that they are unable to afford labourers due to competition from illegal miners who are able to pay better wages. As a result, many young people are turning to galamsey, which in turn destroys farmlands and reduces productivity.

Francis Nkrumah lamented that they need loans to hire labourers for pruning and spraying, buy fertilisers and other farm inputs, to enhance productivity in the coming major season. “We are therefore appealing for timely financial assistance to help us prepare adequately until the major season begins in September”, he pleaded.

While some farmers are seeking ways to improve their yields, others say they are gradually losing interest in cocoa farming altogether. Nathaniel Asante Mensah, another cocoa farmer, expressed frustration over the current situation and emphasised, “It is unfortunate that my farmland is not identified as one that contains gold. I would have sold it to miners long ago, because there is currently more money in that than in cocoa farming.”

Speaking to young people in the communities, they affirmed their desire to abandon farming for mining. “Our parents have been coco farmers all their lives and have lived in abject poverty, why must we suffer the same fate when gold is abundant in our lands”?  they enquired.

Some concerned farmers desperately called for help from the government, Non-Profit Organisations and the private sector to come to aid with sustainable additional livelihood schemes to boost their income. They also called for the enforcement of laws against illegal mining and the protection of cocoa trees and forests.  “If nothing is done to salvage the situation, Ghana will lose its position as a leading producer of cocoa and  revenue needed for development, the farmers argued.