The declining labour force is a serious threat to Ghana’s cocoa industry, which was once the pride and foundation of the country’s economy.
The youth no longer find cocoa growing as appealing, despite its historical significance.
There are several intricate challenges that need to be addressed immediately.
Results of SEND Ghana’s research on gender responsiveness Ghana has illuminated this matter, exposing a depressing lack of enthusiasm for cocoa growing among the younger generation.
An important hurdle that keeps young farmers from entering this important sector of the economy is the use of traditional farming methods, which are ingrained in generational norms as well as inadequate inputs.
The Senior Programme Manager for SEND Ghana, Harriet Nuamah Agyemang highlights how urgently the cocoa business needs to innovate and modernise in order to give young farmers access to modern farming methods and technologies.
He added that “Farming itself is not attractive to young people these days because we are still using our local implements. Farming is still rudimentary for most people and people don’t want to exert so much energy these days into farming.”
Mrs Agyemang further explained that “Young people think that whatever is due them should be paid and then they would go and procure their inputs for their farms, rather than being given inputs that are inadequate but at the end of the day, the cost of those inputs are being deducted from the money they are given for their beans.”
Amidst these urgent worries, groups such as SEND Ghana are raising the alarm and pressuring decision-makers and business stakeholders to tackle the fundamental problems confronting the cocoa industry.
