A controversy is brewing within Ghana’s cocoa sector after farmers rejected several pieces of equipment supplied under a mechanisation initiative, describing them as “not fit for purpose.”
Some of the machines — including slashers and agricultural equipment meant to improve farm productivity — have reportedly remained unused for years, abandoned in communities across cocoa-growing regions.
Farmers say the equipment does not meet the realities of cocoa farming terrain and has proven difficult to operate or maintain.
“This equipment cannot work on our farms,” one farmer told The Catholic Standard. “It is not designed for the conditions we face.”
The situation has raised questions about procurement decisions and whether farmers themselves were adequately consulted before the machines were purchased.
Officials of the Ghana Cocoa Board have acknowledged concerns and say efforts are being made to address the matter.
Some payments have reportedly been made to farmers affected by the situation.
Agricultural policy analysts say the controversy reflects a wider challenge in development programmes:solutions designed without the participation of those who must use them.
For the farmers who sustain Ghana’s cocoa industry, the issue goes beyond machinery.
It is about respect, efficiency and the responsible use of public resources.
