Training of Youth In Cocoa Services

CropLife Ghana in collaboration with Rikolt Ghana has trained 25 cocoa farmers at Adako Jachie in Ejisu in the Ashanti Region. The 5-days training seeked to improve the knowledge and skills of 25 youths in cocoa services groups selected from Rikolko’s operational area on the DGD project in the Suhum district, Wassa Akropong district and Adabokrom district on the SSP Concept, responsible uses and correct application of approved and registered pesticides and fertilizers, Pruning and spraying technical training(certification), Integrated Pest Management, Use of PPEs, Entrepreneurship development of spraying and Pruning groups(record keeping, budgeting etc)

The aim is to promote employment opportunities for the youth in the cocoa sector and for cocoa farmers to have access to professional labor services delivery leading to adoption of improved agronomic practices and hence improve productivity.

Mr. Eric Aboagye the facilitator of CropLife Ghana Field Trainer took the farmers carefully through the selected spray service providers topics , pruning session and both the theoretical and the practical sessions.

Workshop methodology

To achieve the stated objectives, CropLife Ghana training manuals, posters and flyers (from member companies would be used.) The farmers were carefully selected through some important topics as like the following narrations below;

1. Pruning and spraying technical training

2. Introduction to Pest and Plant Disease

3. Types of Pesticides

4. Basics of Scouting

5. Pesticide residues

6. The correct cleaning and destruction of Empty Pesticide Containers

7. What of PPE to Wear

8. What are counterfeit and illegal Pesticides

9. The Consequence of counterfeit or illegal Pesticides

10. How to recognize a counterfeit Pesticides

11. SSP Pruning and pruning as a Business

12. Financial Management