John Dumelo, the Deputy Minister-Designate for Food and Agriculture, has cautioned that inadequate cocoa pricing is pushing farmers to hand over their lands to illegal small-scale miners.
During his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, February 25, Dumelo pointed out a worrisome trend. Farmers are selling their cocoa farms for substantial sums offered by these miners.
The legislator for Ayawaso West Wuogon noted that many farmers are forced into selling their lands because cocoa prices remain too low in the country. He believes that if farmers received a fair and competitive price for their produce, they would be more inclined to protect their farms rather than explore financially attractive mining deals. “Giving cocoa farmers the right price will deter them from selling their cocoa farms,” Dumelo said.
He also advocated for a comprehensive overhaul of the mining industry regulations to prevent mining activities from harming agricultural land.
“The second one is also to restructure or structure the whole mining industry well so that wherever they mine, it wouldn’t be able to affect these cocoa farms. But I think that the main one is about pricing,” he added.
This call for better pricing comes at a time when cocoa farming remains one of Ghana’s most vital agricultural activities, contributing significantly to the nation’s economy and the livelihood of millions. Earlier this month, the sector minister Eric Opoku mentioned that the government will pay cocoa farmers 70% of the world market price to boost production and strengthen the country’s cocoa industry.
However, the industry faces serious challenges from galamsey, the locally termed illegal small-scale mining. Galamsey operations not only lead to environmental degradation but also threaten the sustainability of cocoa farmlands by encroaching on arable land and contaminating water resources. Addressing both pricing issues and the adverse impacts of galamsey is seen as crucial for safeguarding Ghana’s cocoa sector and ensuring long-term economic stability.
