It’s estimated that around a third of the West African cocoa crop is lost through pests and disease. Helping farmers develop farming knowledge and skills improves their cocoa yields (productivity) and thus their returns from cocoa farming.
Industry, and other sponsors, have invested in Farmer Field Schools which are run by the Sustainable Tree Crops Program (www.treecrops.org). At these ‘schools without walls’ farmers learn how to increase productivity, reduce crop losses and costs, as well as how to diversify into other crops. The schools encourage safer ways of working in the farms and help with public health issues such as HIV/AIDS and malaria control. As well as Cote d’Ivoire, schools are also running in Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.
Farmers are keen to attend with entire villages turning out in some areas for the interactive sessions.
The STCP also supports the development of co-operatives in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Co-operatives help farm families to grow and market their crops more effectively.
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