Abstract: Under a project on Strengthening Innovations and Technology Dissemination for Sustainable Development in Cereals, Cocoa and Coffee Value Chains in Western and Eastern Africa implemented in Ghana, a baseline survey was conducted to provide an inventory of existing and potentially exploitable knowledge and technologies in the cocoa production value chain in the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions of Ghana. The aim was to improve cocoa production and strengthen human resource and knowledge exchange on best practices and procedures in sustainable cocoa production along the value chain. Two research methodologies were used, first, literature search on reports, journal articles and books was conducted to determine the range of technologies that had been reported and secondly, interactions with staff of MoFA, COCOBOD and CRIG, and research scientists, farmers, and other stakeholders in the cocoa production value chain to ascertain the scope of technology development and application in cocoa farming in Goaso, Tepa, Maabang and Bechem cocoa areas. A stakeholder workshop was organized to validate the results obtained from the desk review and field interviews. Proven technological protocols identified by all stakeholders during the study to increase the productivity of the crop in Ghana were the use hybrid seeds, good husbandry practices, disease and pest control, harvesting and postharvest management. However, as a result of the prevailing economic, educational, socio-cultural, institutional and infrastructural constraints, many smallholder farmers in the rural communities were unable to take advantage of these novel technologies and innovations to increase cocoa production in the country.
Keywords: Innovation, proven technologies, inventory, dissemination, baseline survey.
Title: INVENTORY OF EXISTING AND EXPLOITABLE KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGIES ON COCOA IN GHANA
Author: Agyei-Ohemeng, J., Opare, P., Obeng-Ofori, D.
International Journal of Management and Commerce Innovations
ISSN 2348-7585 (Online)
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