The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) announced today the relaunch of its Free Fertiliser Distribution Programme, introducing a digital tracking system that will monitor every bag of fertiliser and other agro‑inputs from warehouse to farmer.
Speaking at the ceremony in Sefwi Wiawso, Western North Region, COCOBOD Chief Executive Officer Dr Randy Abbey warned that anyone caught diverting, hoarding, reselling or smuggling the inputs will face legal action. “The days of diverting inputs meant for our farmers are over,” he said. “Any officer, buyer or individual found diverting, hoarding, reselling or smuggling these inputs will be dealt with according to the law.”
The new system will only allow registered farmers whose farms have been mapped on COCOBOD’s digital Cocoa Management System (CMS) to qualify. Farmers will verify their identities at distribution points using their farmer identification cards, Ghana Cards or biometric data to prevent impersonation and the inclusion of fictitious beneficiaries.
Each consignment will be digitally recorded at every stage of the process – from the warehouse to district and community distribution centres – and each bag will be linked to the receiving farmer’s identity. The system will automatically calculate each farmer’s entitlement based on farm size and condition, removing any discretionary power for distribution officers.
Dr Abbey said the real‑time monitoring will allow COCOBOD officials at the district, regional and national levels to flag discrepancies and investigate missing bags. “Every bag issued is tagged against the name of the farmer who received it. At any moment, we can reconcile what was dispatched against what was received and what was issued. A bag that goes missing now leaves a trail,” he explained.
The programme, which replaces a 50 per cent subsidy with free fertiliser, aims to eliminate financial barriers and improve productivity across the cocoa sector. Dr Abbey urged farmers whose farms have not yet been captured on the CMS to contact their extension officers for registration and mapping. He also directed extension officers to ensure all farmers in their districts are registered.
COCOBOD Board Chairman Dr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting cocoa farmers through interventions that boost productivity and income. The relaunch was themed “Cocoa Sector Reset: Free Fertiliser for Increased Productivity and Improved Farmer Income.”
Stakeholders will now watch closely as the new tracking system goes live, expecting a cleaner, more transparent distribution of farm inputs across Ghana’s cocoa belts.
