The government of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to revitalizing the cocoa sector with the distribution of free fertilizer to farmers in the Amenfi West Municipality.
The initiative, which aims to enhance cocoa production, saw the arrival of ten out of the expected twenty-five long trucks loaded with fertilizer at Mumuni Camp on Sunday, February 16, 2025. Each truck carried 1,000 bags, contributing to a total of 25,000 bags set for distribution.
As of 6:00 PM on February 17, six of the trucks had been offloaded, with the remaining expected to be completed by February 18.
The fertilizer will be distributed to cocoa farmers in Mumuni and Torompan communities in March 2025, as part of the broader effort to support local farmers and improve yield. Prior to this, other cocoa-growing areas such as Nkwanta Kese and Samreboi had already received their consignments.
In an effort to prevent the challenges that plagued the free fertilizer distribution program in 2016, government officials, assembly members from the affected electoral areas, and representatives from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have resolved to involve National Security operatives in the process.
This strategic collaboration is aimed at curbing irregularities such as preventing the diversion of fertilizers to pseudo cooperatives, many of which consist solely of family members and exploit the system, ensuring that fertilizers do not end up with farmers whose cocoa farms have withered, and stopping illegal trade and smuggling of the fertilizer meant for active cocoa farmers.
To ensure a smooth and transparent process, each community will be assigned a specific date for collection, and farmers will receive their allocation individually.
The free fertilizer policy was initially introduced by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government but was discontinued by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration in 2017 in favour of a subsidized program.
However, the NPP government later cancelled the subsidy in July 2023. During its time in opposition, the NDC pledged to restore the free fertilizer policy, and upon returning to power, the government swiftly reinstated the program.
The initiative is expected to significantly enhance cocoa productivity and support farmers across Ghana’s cocoa-growing regions.
