The Deputy Minister-Designate for Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, has underscored the urgent need for improved cocoa pricing to discourage farmers from leasing their lands to illegal miners.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the Ayawaso West Wuogon legislator highlighted a troubling trend where cocoa farmers are surrendering their farmlands to illegal small-scale miners in exchange for substantial sums of money.
Dumelo attributed this growing issue to the low prices offered for cocoa in Ghana, arguing that providing farmers with better pricing would incentivise them to protect their farms rather than resorting to lucrative but environmentally destructive mining deals.
"Giving cocoa farmers the right price will deter them from selling their cocoa farms," he stated, stressing that fair compensation for their produce is key to retaining farmlands for agricultural purposes.
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Beyond pricing, Dumelo also called for stricter regulations in the mining sector to mitigate its negative impact on the country’s cocoa industry.
"The second one is also to restructure or structure the whole mining industry well so that wherever they mine, it wouldn’t be able to affect these cocoa farms. But I think that the main one is about pricing," he added.
Illegal mining, commonly referred to as ‘galamsey’, has become a major concern in Ghana, with its devastating effects on farmlands, water bodies, and the environment.
Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have long warned about its impact on cocoa production, which remains one of the country’s most vital exports.
Dumelo’s remarks add to growing calls for government intervention to ensure that cocoa farmers receive fair prices for their produce while implementing stricter measures to protect farmlands from the encroachment of illegal miners.
