Some 500,000 hectares of Ghana’s cocoa farms have been lost to the cocoa swollen shoot viral disease (CSSVD), the Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo.

This threatens Ghana’s cocoa production as the second-largest producer in the world, Mr Aidoo mentioned.

Speaking in a panel discussion at a partnership meeting of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) in Amsterdam, Mr Aidoo said cocoa production in Ghana is faced with so many other challenges.

Notable among them is illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), which he said is decimating cocoa concessions and threatening the livelihood of farmers.

Also, he highlighted that climate change is affecting productivity.

He bemoaned that the unchecked mining sector is responsible for deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination, all of which detrimentally impact cocoa tree growth.

Additionally, climate change exacerbates these issues, with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and prolonged droughts adversely affecting tree health and yield.

In response to the CSSVD challenge, he said COCOBOD implemented the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme in 2018.

This initiative aims to curb disease spread, revitalise unproductive farms, and enhance cocoa farmers' livelihoods.

The programme involves identifying infected farms, removing affected trees, replanting disease-resistant cocoa varieties, compensating affected farmers, and promoting sound agricultural practices.

Emphasising the significance of ensuring cocoa farmers' sustainable incomes, the CEO of COCOBOD highlighted initiatives like the Living Income Differential (LID) and recent substantial increases in Ghana's cocoa producer prices. Nonetheless, he stressed the necessity for collective industry commitment to prioritize sustainable farmer incomes, supported by tangible actions for realization.

Addressing the threat of CSSVD to West African cocoa production, the Director General of Conseil du Café Cacao urged immediate industry dedication to tackling the issue, warning of potential industry setbacks if left unaddressed.

He acknowledged the Ghanaian government's efforts in confronting these challenges.