Accra, Ghana, June 10, 2024 (WCFO) – The World Cocoa Farmers Organization (WCFO) Ghana chapter, as part of its efforts to help secure appropriate land documentations for farmers in Ghana, has presented a proposal to the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission on land tenure issues faced by cocoa farmers especially tenant cocoa farmers in the Western North Region of Ghana, here in Accra.
The aim of the proposal presented is to help farmers to secure legal documents that will protect cocoa and agricultural farm land from litigation matters.
Contention
In Ghana, land ownership is mostly governed by customary systems with chiefs controlling the majority of agriculture land; due to the importance of land and the lack of documentation on the part of most tenant cocoa farmers, contentions may sometimes arise in cocoa growing regions of Ghana about access and ownership rights.
Moses Djan Asiedu, Board Secretary, World Cocoa Farmers Organization in his submission explained that participatory research conducted by WCFO found that about 70% of cocoa farmers lack legal ownership documents which has led to insecure tenancy and unwillingness by cocoa farmers to rehabilitate their farms which may have been affected by disease or aged, thus discouraging long-term investment.
He again stated that the complex land registration processes in Ghana has further discouraged cocoa farmers from initiating the registration process.
He mentioned that the proposal is expected to address land tenure issues faced by cocoa farmers especially tenant cocoa farmers across the cocoa growing regions in Ghana through relevant stakeholders such as the Lands Commission, Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands and COCOBOD.
Emelda Amoah, Advocacy Manager, World Cocoa Farmers Organization in explaining what is in their final proposal to the Commission emphasized on the need for collaboration between the two organizations. “There is an urgent need for key stakeholder’s collaboration to simplify the registration process by ensuring that cocoa farmers are assisted with obtaining the requirements for registration and obtaining legal land documentation” she added.
Commission
The Executive Secretary, Lands Commission, Surveyor Benjamin Arthur in his remarks explained that at the Lands Commission their primary duty is to provide high quality, reliable and efficient services in geographic information, guaranteed tenure, property valuation, surveying and mapping to their stakeholders and farmers are included.“It is my great pleasure to welcome you all warmly to the Lands Commission to be part of the proposal presentation between Lands Commission and the World Cocoa Farmers Organization (WCFO).“I believe in proper documentation and let me assure you that the proposal before me will be looked at properly and possible recommendations or guidance will be suggested to your organization to help address the challenges farmers are going through in cocoa growing regions in Ghana” he said
