The livelihoods of some 2,000 cocoa farmers in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa district is hanging in the balance as a private investor has purchased 50,000-acres of their farmland from the chiefs of Twifo Kayireku and Amampoma.
The Company, Arukah Global Ltd, a local investor is expected to cultivate a massive 1,446.18-hectare rubber plantation in place of the cocoa in the area.
But the chief of Agyempoma Nana Kwame Adunya III, speaking on behalf of the affected farmers, said they had spent their entire lives cultivating cocoa on the land in question.
However, some farmers from communities such as Agyempoma, Opong Valley, Akaase and Nkubem are concerned that the loss of their farms will lead to untimely deaths, as they rely heavily on cocoa farming for survival.
Nana Adunya , therefore appealed to the government through COCOBOD to quickly intervene to salvage the cocoa farms to save the farmers who are on the verge of losing their source of livelihood.
The queen mother of Agyempoma, Nana Akua Ayensua II, also expressed concern that the land had been sold to a private investor without their consent, saying they had farmed on it for more than 300 years.
It would be recalled that raditional leaders in Twifo Kayireku and Mampoma, a forthnight ago, announced their partnership with the company at a press briefing at Mampoma.
Nana Boakye Hene II, the Benkumhene of Twifo Traditional Area who doubles as the chief of Twifo Mampoma said that extensive consultations were held with all the chiefs and the farmers before reaching a consensus.
Source: Businessnews.com
