The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is a Ghanaian government-controlled institution that fixes the buying price for cocoa in Ghana. Farmers are protected from the volatile prices on the world market through the price-fixing. Besides the higher quality hybrid seeds are sold by the organization and some research on

cocoa Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter and ...

plant-related diseases are also carried out. Between 1947 and 1979, the institution was known as the Cocoa Marketing Board.

History

Background

In 1937, farmers in

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

, a colony of the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

equal to contemporary Ghana, refused to continue selling cocoa at the low prices set by European merchants and decided to withhold cocoa from the market. The strike went on for 8 months, until the British government acted by setting up the Nowell Commission of Enquiry to investigate the issue. The Nowell Commission report advised the government to assist cocoa farmers by establishing a Marketing Board.

West African Produce Control Board (1940-1946)

In 1940, the government established the West African Produce Control Board to purchase cocoa under guaranteed prices from all West African countries. It operated throughout

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and was dissolved in 1946.

Cocoa Marketing Board (1947-1979)

The first attempt to regulate market value and production was in 1947 through the Ghana Marketing Board, which dissolved in 1979 and was reconciled into Ghana Cocoa Board also called ''Cocobod'' ''.'' The Ghana Marketing Board was established by ordinance in 1947 with the sum of 27 million

Ghanaian Cedi The cedi ( ) (currency sign: GH₵; currency code: GHS) is the unit of currency of Ghana. It is the fourth historical and only current legal tender in the Republic of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas (Gp). After independenc ...

as its initial working capital. In 1979, this Board was dissolved and reconstituted as the Ghana Cocoa Board.

Ghana Cocoa Board (1979-)

In 1984 Cocobod underwent institutional reform aimed at subjecting the cocoa sector to market forces. Cocobod's role was reduced, and 40 percent of its staff, or at least 35,000 employees, were dismissed. Furthermore, the government shifted responsibility for crop transport to the private sector.

Subsidies A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...

for production inputs (

fertilizers A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

insecticides Insecticides are substances used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and by consumers. Insecticides are claimed to b ...

fungicides Fungicides are biocidal chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. A fungistatic inhibits their growth. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality, ...

, and equipment) were removed, and there was a measure of privatization of the processing sector through at least one

joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acces ...

. In addition, a new payment system known as the Akuafo Check System was introduced in 1982 at the point of purchase of dried beans. Ghana's Government implemented a very strategic plan in 1984 putting the sale of agriculture particularly Cocoa in the hands of the Government. With the regulation of pricing and manufacturing controlled by the government over 30,000+ jobs were lost but Ghana still holds its spot as one of three highest yielding countries of Cocoa. Jointly with

Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

's Coffee and Cocoa Council (both countries were enemies for years), agreed and announced, on June 11, 2019, a minimal price for cocoa, in order to protect producers. In 2018, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire set up a cartel called Cocoa Initiative, often described as

OPEC The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, ) is a cartel of countries. Founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela), it has, since 1965, been headquart ...

for cocoa and thus dubbed "COPEC".

Heads of COCOBOD

* A.C. Mills - General Manager - 1 October 1947 - December 1948 * A.E. Hampson - General Manager- 1 October 1949 - 25 May 1955 * J.A.E. Morley - Managing Director - 6 March 1953 - March 1956 *

Harry Dodoo Harry Amoo Dodoo (8 August 1918 – 10 February 2000) was a Ghanaian chartered accountant, public servant and businessman who led the Ghana Cocoa Board at different times as chief accountant, general manager, managing director, chief executive ...

- General Manager - 25 March 1955 - 28 February 1965 * Harry Dodoo - Managing Director - 1 May 1965 - 22 February 1967 * Frederick Robert Kankam-Boadu - Acting Managing Director - 23 February 1967 - 14 May 1968 * Frederick Robert Kankam-Boadu - Managing Director - 14 May 1968 - 1 October 1968 * Uriah Kwesi Hackman - Managing Director - 1 November 1968 - 9 October 1969 * J.G. Amoafo - Managing Director - 21 May 1970 - 27 January 1972 * Uriah Kwesi Hackman - Executive Chairman- 28 January 1972 - 31 August 1973 * Lt. Col. Kwaku A. Takyi - Executive Chairman- 20 December 1973 - 19 February 1975 * Cdr. J.C. Addo - Managing Director- 20 February 1975 - 31 July 1978 * Andrews Kwame Pianim - Chief Executive - 1 August 1978 - 4 October 1979 *

Mumuni Bawumia Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia was a Ghanaian politician, lawyer and the paramount chief of Kperiga in the then Northern region of Ghana. He was chairman of the council of state in the 4th republic from 1993 to 2000. Career Bawumia was a member of the ...

- Interim Chairman - 5 October 1979 - 30 September 1981 * Mumuni Bawumia - Chief Executive - 1 October 1981 - 10 January 1982 * Kwame Gyamfi - Chief Executive - 11 January 1982 - 25 August 1983 * Harry Dodoo - Chief Executive - 7 October 1983 - 17 September 1986 * K.N. Owusu - Chief Executive - 17 September 1986 - 28 December 1989 * David Aninakwa - Chief Executive - 28 December 1989 - 16 January 1996 * Flt. Lt. Joseph Atiemo - Chief Executive - 4 September 1993 - 3 September 1996 *

John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English theologian, academic, intellectual, philosopher, polymath, historian, writer, scholar and poet, first as an Anglican ministry, Anglican priest and later as a Catholi ...

- Chief Executive - 3 September 1996 - 2001 * S.K. Appah - Acting Chief Executive - 2001 *

Isaac Osei Isaac Osei is the former Member of Parliament of Subin Constituency in the Ashanti Region. He is also the former managing director of Tema Oil Refinery and chief executive officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board and one time Ghana High Commissioner t ...

- Chief Executive - April 2006 - December 2008 * Anthony Fofie - Chief Executive - 16 Dec 2008-30 Nov 2013 *

Stephen Kwabena Opuni Stephen Kwabena Opuni is a Ghanaian health practitioner and a former chief executive officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board. Early life and education Stephen Kwabena Opuni was born in Sunyani, the capital of the Bono Region (formerly Brong Ahafo Re ...

- Chief Executive - 30 Nov 2013-13 Jan 2017 *

Joseph Boahen Aidoo Joseph Boahen Aidoo (born 13 December 1957) is a Ghanaian politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Amenfi East constituency in the Western Region. Early life and education He was born on 13 December 1957 in Wassa Afransie in ...

- Chief Executive - 13 Jan 2017-

Buying of fertilizers from Ghanaian companies

In September 2019, COCOBOD was given a directive by the government of Ghana to buy fertilizers from local manufacturers from 2020. Due to the government's One-district One-factory venture, the local fertilizer production firms had the requisite capacity the demand of the country.

Subsidiaries

*Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana *Seed Production Division *Cocoa Health and Extension Division *Quality Control Company *Cocoa Marketing Company

References

External links

Ghana Cocoa Board
{{Authority control Cocoa production Agricultural organisations based in Ghana Marketing boards