MASO is a five year programme, focused on creating employment opportunities for the youth (aged 18-25) in Ghana’s cocoa communities.
“I started supporting my uncle on his cocoa farm in 2014 after I completed Senior High School. This is where I developed an interest in cocoa farming. Now I want to become a professional cocoa farmer”.
24 year old Simon Atsitre lives in Leklebi Agbesia, a cocoa growing community in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region. Simon, has been supporting his uncle maintain his cocoa farm for two years on fulltime basis. While working on the farm, he developed interest in becoming a cocoa farmer himself. He already knows the basics of cocoa farming through managing his uncle farm but desires to acquire more knowledge.
He is hopeful the MASO Programme will help him sharpen his cocoa farming skills.
“I am into cocoa farming already, but I am interested in developing additional skills. I also want to establish my own farm soon, so I can get more cocoa beans”.
Simon in 2016 registered with the MASO Agro Academy to train as a cocoa farmer. The “MASO Agro Academy” trains youth in best agronomic practices and basic financial skills to prepare them for a career in cocoa farming. Participants are also schooled in basic business skills and encouraged to develop business plans for their farms.
