A Ghanaian cocoa farmer has made an appeal to policymakers, companies and international sustainability organisations to involve producers of the valuable beans directly in decisions that affect their livelihoods, arguing that farmers should no longer be expected to simply comply with policies designed without their input.
Juliana Asiedu, a certified cocoa producer and Financial Secretary of the Offinso Fine Flavour Cocoa Cooperative (OFFCOP), delivered the message on Tuesday, June 9, while addressing delegates at the ISEAL Global Sustainability Symposium in Accra.
Speaking as one of the keynote speakers at the international gathering, which brought together sustainability experts, government officials, development partners and industry leaders, Asiedu stressed that farmers must be given a seat at the table when decisions are made about the future of global supply chains.
“Producers should not simply be expected to comply with decisions made elsewhere. My call today is simple. To policymakers: create policies that work for producers, not just for markets. To companies: invest in long-term partnerships that support farmer resilience and living income. To sustainability systems and development partners: continue working with producers to build practical solutions that can be implemented on the ground.”
Her remarks emerged as one of the most memorable moments of the symposium, resonating strongly with participants engaged in discussions on sustainability, climate resilience and responsible sourcing.
According to Asiedu, sustainable supply chains can only be achieved when producers are treated as active partners rather than passive beneficiaries or recipients of directives.
The symposium also featured a keynote address by Dr. Francis Baah, Deputy Chief Executive for Agronomy and Quality Control at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), who spoke about efforts to align national policies and industry practices to strengthen Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Supported by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the event explored strategies for ensuring sustainability across global production networks amid economic, environmental and social challenges.
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