In an effort to add value to Liberian grown cocoa, the Vainga Agriculture Development and Management Consultancy (VADEMCO), an agribusiness development and consultancy firm has called on cocoa farmers in Kpaii District, Bong County to organize themselves to ensure coordination and productivity in the production of their cocoa.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of VADEMCO Incorporated, Suliman V. Kamara told the hundreds of cocoa farmers in Melenta,Kpaii District, Bong County, that the best way they can get technical and financial support from his institution is to come together and pursue a new approach,
Mr. Kamara noted that Liberia’s cocoa farmers will not realize the economy value of the products if they continue to sell to those he calls “hustlers” who present themselves as middleman between they the local farmers and the international buyers.
He assured them of VADEMCO’s commitment to work along with them to add value to their products by strengthening their capacity and ensure that they get what he calls value for money.
The VADEMCO CEO made the assertion on December 15, 2020 in Melenta, Kpai,District, Bong County where he had gone to showcase Liberian made chocolate to local cocoa farmers.
Tasting cocoa chocolate for the first time
The essence of the exercise, according to Mr. Kamara, is to show them that cocoa is capable of being process into chocolate for human consumption which is widely consumed around the world including Liberia.
The cocoa farmers lauded Mr. Kamara for taken the initiative for the first time to allow them see and consume the end-product of the cocoa they have and continued to produce.
“This is our first time in my life to see and eat chocolate, even though, we are the farmers that produce cocoa to process into it,” J. Alakemeni Galagair said.
“I really enjoy the chocolate and I can tell you if we the cocoa farmers in Bong County get the kind of support we need I can tell you that we will work along with VADEMCO to produce our own chocolate”. Mr. Galagair told the audience.
“For me as the District Agriculture Officer of Kpaii , let me say that I will encourage cocoa farmers in this place to put in more effort and time so we can try to produce our own chocolate product to sell and eat some” Veronica S. Roberts expresses.
“Cocoa farmers in Kpaii District have the potential to contribute to the Country’s economic but what they need is only small push and technical guidance” Madam Roberts said.
“I think you see the cocoa farmers today, this is their first time to eat the end-product of what they produce from the bush and this is a laudable intervention by VADEMCO” She praised
“We are actually motivated with the introduction of chocolate and I can promise that we the cocoa farmers will do all in our power to add value to Liberia’s cocoa through the support of VADEMCO”, another cocoa farmers,Moses T. Yarkpawolo said.
” I inherited the practice of cocoa farming from my father who inspire me so much to be a cocoa grower” Mr. Yarkpawolo explained.
Over 190 pieces of locally manufactured Liberian chocolate were distributed to cocoa farmers for tasting and goal of the initiative is for the farmers to see, touch, and eat the end product of cocoa to inspire them add value to their crop.
The program was attended by local chiefs, residents and cocoa farmers from Melenta and surrounding towns and villages.
VADEMCO is offering training to the local farmers to maintain their aging cocoa farms in Kpaii District as part of its revitalization program
The project implemented by VADEMCO is supported by the International Group, Solidaridad.
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