Cocoa industry stakeholders asked to pay attention to climate change
Stakeholders in the cocoa industry have been asked to pay attention to climate change, which is leading to high temperature, to ensure the sustainability of industry and livelihoods.
Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, who made the call, said climatic changes might impact negatively on morphological, physiological and biochemical properties of cocoa plants and beans.
For instance, in cocoa regions of Ghana temperature is predicted to rise by 2.4 degrees Celsius by 2050 with changes in precipitation being trivial.
“It is predicted that suitability of cocoa production within current cocoa growing areas will decrease by 2050, while it may increase at higher elevations,” he told the opening session of the National Cocoa Stakeholders Conference in Accra on Tuesday.
The two-day stakeholders’ conference will discuss the issue of sustainable cocoa economy, cocoa certification and its benefits and environmental governance.
Prof Asenso-Okyere said it is important that Ghana develop crop simulation models to estimate crop sensitivities to current and future trends in growing regions.
He said to counteract the effects of climate variability and extreme weather events, farmers should embrace adaptations strategies, such as screening, breeding and evaluation of drought tolerant genotypes and introduction of irrigation in Ghanaian cocoa production.
Prof Asenso-Okyere said because of scarcity of water, the irrigation system should incorporate water conservation practices that allow water harvesting and ground water recharge.
“Drought contingency planning, drought preparedness and impact assistance policies should be put in place as part of public policy facilitated by an early warning system,” he said.
He stressed that index-based weather insurance could help in assessing crop failures and provide disaster payments to farmers.
Besides, as part of climate change mitigation, research and extension should identify and develop eco-friendly technologies for reduced Green House Gas emissions during the cocoa chain period from production to consumption.
Prof Asenso-Okyere said Ghanaian farmers should also enjoy the benefit from the Clean Development Mechanism by providing monetary returns to farmers for the eco-services rendered by cocoa cropping through the sale of certified emission reduction credits.
Source: GNA