Kumasi: COCOBOD is developing an initiative to encourage selected agricultural students from eight senior high schools in the Ashanti region to study cocoa agronomy at the Bunso Cocoa College free of charge. The project is part of the 'One Acre of Cocoa Farm, One Senior High School' programme, which is being piloted in eight senior high schools from the 15 Cocoa Districts in the Ashanti region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the 'One Acre of Cocoa Farm, One Senior High School' initiative aims to boost the interest of the youth in cocoa cultivation in agricultural senior high schools, while encouraging the students to take cocoa farming as a business in the future and helping to increase cocoa beans production in the country. Mr. William Kwaku Serebuor Prempeh, Ashanti Regional Manager of COCOBOD, stated that students who demonstrate high interest and readiness to undertake cocoa farming after school would be selected to benefit from the two-year diploma programme in cocoa agronomy at the Bunso Cocoa College, in the Eastern region.
He disclosed this at a ceremony to hand over two polytanks, valued at GHS 16,000.00, to the Dadease Agricultural Senior High School in the Sekyere Kumawu District of the Ashanti region. The polytanks were donated in partnership with Green World Industries (GWI), a food supplement and healthy products company, to support the water and sanitation situation in the school.
Mr. Prempeh mentioned some of the schools benefiting from the pilot programme, including T.I Ahmadiya, Tweneboa Kodua, and Asokore Senior High Schools in the Effiduase Cocoa district, Saint Jerome, Dwamena Akenten in Offinso Cocoa district, Osei Tutu SHS, and Prempeh College from Kwabre and Nkawie Cocoa districts, respectively. He explained that the initiative had a high potential of increasing cocoa production in Ghana if implemented nationwide in all seven cocoa regions, as it would address deforestation, illegal mining, smuggling, ageing cocoa farmers, and other challenges facing the cocoa industry.
He said the project would help increase the schools' Internally Generated Funds (IGF) from the sales of cocoa beans, help students acquire relevant and practical education, and boost foodstuff production in the schools. He commended the members of the Ashanti Regional team of the project for their commitment and effective implementation since its inception in 2024.
Mrs. Perfect Asigbey Ankrah, the Ashanti Regional Branch Manager of GWI, said the presentation served as a corporate social responsibility of the company. She pledged to offer more support in consultation with their headquarters in China and the other 43 branches globally, mentioning car awards as a planned program in September this year.
Mr. Francis Donkor, the Headmaster of the school, urged the students to take the program seriously as it was an opportunity to advance their educational journey. He commended COCOBOD and the GWI company for the initiative and the donation, appealing for extra support when the need arises.