The Regional Manager of the Western South Cocoa Health and Extension Division of COCOBOD, Samuel Asuman, has described illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as the single greatest threat to Ghana’s cocoa industry, warning that the country risks losing one of its most important economic pillars if urgent action is not taken.
According to Mr. Asuman, the destructive activities of illegal miners are rapidly eroding the foundations of cocoa production by destroying vast stretches of fertile farmland, polluting critical water bodies, and drawing labour away from cocoa farms.
Speaking at Samahu in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality during the presentation of the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme organised by the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, he said more than 19,000 hectares of productive cocoa farms have already been lost to illegal mining activities in major cocoa-producing regions, including Ashanti, Western and Central.
He noted that excavators are being deployed on cocoa lands to remove topsoil and create deep mining pits, leaving once-thriving plantations permanently damaged.
“Illegal mining is currently the biggest obstacle facing Ghana’s cocoa industry. It is destroying fertile land, contaminating our rivers with harmful chemicals and creating labour shortages that are affecting cocoa production across the country,” he stated.
Mr. Asuman warned that the continued destruction of cocoa farms is contributing to declining national output and reducing Ghana’s cocoa export volumes, with serious implications for foreign exchange earnings and the financial sustainability of COCOBOD.
He explained that falling production levels are limiting the cocoa regulator’s ability to meet its financial obligations and support programmes aimed at improving the welfare of cocoa farmers.
“If urgent measures are not implemented, the cocoa industry in Ghana will perish,” he cautioned.
The Cocoa Farmers Support Programme forms part of efforts to boost cocoa yields, improve household incomes and strengthen the long-term resilience of farming communities in cocoa-growing areas.
The Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni Valley, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, also expressed concern about the growing trend of cocoa farmers selling their lands to illegal miners in exchange for immediate financial gains.
He said many farmers fail to appreciate the long-term value of cocoa cultivation, opting instead for short-term benefits that ultimately leave them worse off.
“The money they take from galamsey operators may sustain them for a short period, but cocoa is a lifelong investment that can support generations,” the MP noted.
Mr. Cudjoe commended initiatives such as the Gold Fields Foundation’s support programme, saying they provide much-needed incentives for farmers to remain committed to cocoa production and resist the temptation to engage in illegal mining activities.
Executive Secretary of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, Abdel Razak Yakubu, said the programme is designed to increase cocoa productivity, raise farmers’ incomes and promote sustainable livelihoods in both mining and cocoa-growing communities.
He reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to supporting initiatives that improve the economic well-being of farmers while safeguarding the environment for future generations.
