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AGRICULTURE

ADANSI N: Gov't employs 110 workers in Artificial Pollination of Cocoa programme

Presently, 10-20 % of flowers produced by the Cocoa plants are successfully pollinated through natural means; leaving 80-90 % of the flowers aborted with serious consequences on cocoa production.

Date Created : 11/30/2017 1:56:44 AM : Story Author : Kusi-Obuadum Brobbey/Ghanadistricts.com

It is against this backdrop that the government in the 2017 financial statement decided to embark on artificial pollination of cocoa to increase the yield in Ghana to one million tones within the first term.

Five communities in Adansi South Cocoa District have been selected for the pilot project. These communities are Atwereboana, Mpirekyire, Agogoso, Kojo Mankron and Nsese.

In all 765 farms have been selected within the district and 153 farms per community. 22 workers have been employed from each community to undergo training to perform the pollination in their communities. The selected farmers would be supplied with subsidised farm inputs such as fertilizer, weedicides and pesticides with free extension services and artificial pollination services. The employed workers range between age 18 and 25 of which more females have been engaged.

The District Cocoa Officer Ms. Christiana Amponsah during the interview of the workers disclosed that the pollination of cocoa is very essential to the high production of cocoa hence the farms being used to start the programme will serve as study centres for farmers to learn how to pollinate their own cocoa pants artificially.

She said that artificial pollination can increase the yield of a cocoa plant from 12 pods to 50 pods per tree hence the importance attached to it.

Ms. Christiana Amponsah the District Cocoa Officer advised those who will have the opportunity to perform the pollination should work assiduously to make the programme a success.