The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has honoured Mr. Anthony Fofie, Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for his immense contribution towards cocoa sustainability in Ghana.

He received the award at the 21st World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Partnership Meeting and Roundtable Sessions held in Washington DC, where he spoke on the topic: “The Role of Public Private Partnership in Feed the Future.”

A statement issued by COCOBOD on Monday said Mr. Fofie outlined the significant role of Public-Private Partnership in cocoa production and extension, input supply services and internal cocoa marketing.

Touching on the contribution of Public-Private Partnership in the internal marketing of cocoa, he said, COCOBOD in collaboration with the WCF and the Hershey’s Company of the USA, had introduced the CocoaLink project in Ghana.

This project would enable cocoa farmers use the mobile telephone platform to send technical information in a two-way direction, ensuring that the information reached the farmer when needed most.

Mr. Fofie solicited the support of several partners including Africa Cocoa Initiative (ACI) to help farmers achieve higher and sustainable production.

The initiative, he said, would help build farmer capacity in food production and the adoption of good farm management practices.

He reiterated that COCOBOD’s attention was geared towards achieving a sustainable cocoa production through high farm productivity which would enable more land resources to be released for food production.

This approach, he said, would ensure the attainment of food security.

Mr. Fofie expressed appreciation for the honour and pledged to continue to work even harder for the advancement of the world cocoa economy.**