Cocoa Production: Training identified as missing link

A finding by the National Cocoa Academy was presented in Yaounde on July 1, 2015.

A six-month study in some cocoa producing areas in the country carried out by the National Cocoa Academy has revealed that Cameroon’s dream of hitting 600,000 tons of quality cocoa between 2020 to 2025 is only achievable if farmers receive adequate training.

In effect, the preliminary findings were presented to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Essimi Menye, on July 1, 2015 in Yaounde by a team of experts from the National Cocoa Academy led by its National Coordinator, Dieudonné Abolo.

The results confirmed that the cocoa sector is staggering, with the challenge of inadequate training, not so-satisfactory follow-up and the persisting poor maintenance of existing cocoa nurseries, farms and equipment. Cocoa production is weak, oscillating between 250 and 300 kilogrammes per hectare. The situation is more complex with the battle said to be ruthless in the world market where only the best quality cocoa beans are on high demand.

The National Cocoa Academy is proposing a technical guide whereby farmers will learn modern techniques of seed production, farm and nursery rejuvenation as well as the treatment of cocoa plants. The Brigade of cocoa-related professions with an innovative government tool to modernise cocoa cultivation in Cameroon is waiting for a green light from hierarchy to embark on the training of trainers on new cocoa cultivation techniques. Dieudonné Abolo sees the training of trainers as the best way of reaching to more cocoa farmers.

Essimi Menye in response pledged support, saying his team was ready to undertake field tours with focus on training cocoa producers on best techniques of handling cocoa farms and plants. The Regional College of Agriculture in Ebolowa, South Region will host a unit where the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development intends to train young Cameroonians on how to process cocoa beans into butter, chocolate and biscuits.

“This is one of the objectives of adding value to our production and bringing more wealth to the sector,” Essimi Menye said, emphasizing that using cocoa and processing it locally will bring more employment to our economy.