Ghana COCOBOD has received yet again another boost to the fight against the novel coronavirus, as players in the cocoa sector donate towards its efforts.
Major players, Nyonkopa Cocoa buying limited and BC Ghana, which are the subsidiaries of Barry-Callebaut group, a global giant in the chocolate industry donated assorted items like Veronica Buckets, liquid soap and tissue rolls to COCOBOD to be distributed to cocoa farming communities to curb the spread of COVID 19.
The donation took place at a short ceremony at Cocoa house in Accra.
During an interaction with the press, the MD of Nyonkopa Dr. Joshy Varkey and MD of BC Ghana, Madam Charity Sackitey, who made the presentation indicated that, Barry Callebaut as a group, has been contributing to the health and the economic well-being of their farmers, this donation is very critical as there is an urgent need to help curb the spread of the corona virus so that the cocoa supply chain is not disturbed.
Madam Charity Added that the Hand washing is a basic preventive measure against the spread of covid -19 and we believe that by this donation, and in collaboration with COCOBOD, we are able to support the wellbeing and safety of the cocoa farmers and their families, who are very important partners of Barry Callebaut.
The MD of Nyonkopa further chronicled the immense support the company continue to give to the various health facilities through the company’s monthly ‘Nyonkopa Needy Project’ where every employee contributes at least a day’s salary which is aggregated to procure hospital supplies for the various health facilities in the farming communities.
On the economic front, they have been complementing the efforts of COCOBOD and the Government through farm improvement techniques like under-planting, pruning, community nurseries as well as taking the farmers through various training modules under their Barry’s sustainability concept Cocoa Horizons.
He also touched on other non-cocoa income generating activities like poultry, bee keeping, soap making and others which go a long way to diversify the incomes of their farmers. The liquid soap in the donation are from sourced the Nyonkopa women farmer groups.
Nyonkopa participates in the internal marketing of cocoa for the past 4 years and has reached this feet (as the fourth LBC) through the efforts and the support of their over 120,000 farmers who are Spread across all the cocoa growing districts in Ghana. Barry Callebaut Ghana processing facility, crushes 65000 Mt of cocoa beans in the free zones area at Tema; which makes them a Bean to Bar chocolate processor.
Receiving the items, the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Hon Joseph Boahene Aidoo expressed gratitude for the donation and further indicated that the donation will be made available to the cocoa farming communities.
He also called on more support from corporate Ghana in the fight against the COVID-19.
