Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1986
Degree Name
Master of Science in Management - (M.S.)
Department
Organizational and Social Sciences
First Advisor
Sanford Bordman
Abstract
Several studies have been done in an attempt to find out the cost involved in establishing an acre of cocoa farm and most of these used the questionnare method to gather the information. However, most data gathered this way did not include detail establishment cost information on inputs as the farmers relied on recollection of cost they incurred.
The study done by C. Okali at Dominasi in the Brong Ahafo Region did not follow this pattern. Data collection for this study was started in May 1971 and ended in September 1972 and there were 45 farms involved. This sample was selected on the basis of farmers willingness to cooperate over a period of at least one year but not on the basis of the cocoa acrage of the farms involved. Cooperating farmers were to report any cost they incurred, in that period, on any operation on the farm. The farms in the study were divided into three age groups to coincide with the stages of growth of the cocoa farm. 22 farms were in the age group of 0 - 1 year old and the information from this group constituted cost data for the year of establishment.
13 farms were in the age group of 2 - 4 years old and this age group represents the transistional period from youth to maturity. The farms in this group varied in age from 13 months to five years. 10 farms were in the maturity age group which represents farm bearing fruits. This study provided observed data on cost of inputs that were hitherto assumed to take place when establishing a cocoa farm.
The importance of the cocoa industry in Ghana, in a way, may be compared to the importance of the oil industry in the oil producing Arabic countries. Ghana depended and continues to depend on revenues from the cocoa industry to undertake most development projects and in terms of foreign exchange earnings, Ghana can be described as monoculture. The cocoa beans is produced by individual farmers on individual farm holdings that vary in size from say, half an acre to say, 50 acres. There are about 250,000 farmers who claim to be involved in cocoa production. There are no plantation system of production in Ghana.
The importance of the cocoa industry to the Ghanaian economy would prompt anyone to think that the authorities would do everything to ensure its continous success. However, production has fallen from an all time high of around 580,000 tons to around 200,000 tons over a decade and half. To arrest the situation, the government is trying to organize the farmers to rehabilitate their farms. Rehabilitation here refers to maintaining or increasing cocoa production on a smaller acrage and this will depend on the availability of high yielding cocoa hybrid and a more efficient pest and disease control.
Recommended Citation
Dankwah, Kwane Boakye, "The cocoa rehabilitation project in Ghana" (1986). Theses. 3453.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/3453
