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Women cocoa farmers in the Wassa Atobiase in the Western Region have appealed to the government to come to their aid by making credit facilities easier and accessible to them.
This they said would help expand their activities to produce more in subsequent seasons.
According to the cocoa farmers, they lack funds to hire labour to work on their farms especially during the crop season which makes them impossible to produce more.
“I have a very big cocoa farm but because I don’t have money to hire labourers to work in it, most of the cocoa are not harvested and are left in the bush to rot. The little that I’m able to do by myself is what I feed on till the next harvest season”, noted Ante Amoh, one of the women cocoa farmers this reporter spoke to.
She commended government for its efforts to increase cocoa production in the future but said “that dream will not be a reality if government fails to provide us credit facilities”
Another farmer also complained bitterly about the government’s inability to repair the bridge on river Subiri that link Ankaako to Atobiase and its surrounding villages, a situation she said makes it impossible to cart their goods when there is heavy downpour of rain.
“That bridge is very dear to us and the surrounding villages. When it breaks down, economic activities cease. It has been there for decades and it must be changed. When there is fault, we have to carry our goods on our heads, walk through the river if the level is low or swim to the other side before one can reach his or her destination. Others who are unable to do it are left at the banks of the river in their own faith”, said Adwoa Pokuwaa.
When this reporter visited the bridge, it was in a dilapidated state which needed to be changed to help save the communities that ply it.
This they said would help expand their activities to produce more in subsequent seasons.
According to the cocoa farmers, they lack funds to hire labour to work on their farms especially during the crop season which makes them impossible to produce more.
“I have a very big cocoa farm but because I don’t have money to hire labourers to work in it, most of the cocoa are not harvested and are left in the bush to rot. The little that I’m able to do by myself is what I feed on till the next harvest season”, noted Ante Amoh, one of the women cocoa farmers this reporter spoke to.
She commended government for its efforts to increase cocoa production in the future but said “that dream will not be a reality if government fails to provide us credit facilities”
Another farmer also complained bitterly about the government’s inability to repair the bridge on river Subiri that link Ankaako to Atobiase and its surrounding villages, a situation she said makes it impossible to cart their goods when there is heavy downpour of rain.
“That bridge is very dear to us and the surrounding villages. When it breaks down, economic activities cease. It has been there for decades and it must be changed. When there is fault, we have to carry our goods on our heads, walk through the river if the level is low or swim to the other side before one can reach his or her destination. Others who are unable to do it are left at the banks of the river in their own faith”, said Adwoa Pokuwaa.
When this reporter visited the bridge, it was in a dilapidated state which needed to be changed to help save the communities that ply it.
Picture caption: Ante Amoh, a farmer at Wassa Atobiase spreading her cocoa beans in the sun.
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