MASO is a five year programme, focused on creating employment opportunities for the youth (aged 18-25) in Ghana’s cocoa communities.
Selected young people in the Bia West District of the Western Region are developing various skills to provide farm management services to cocoa farmers. 65 young persons enrolled in the MASO Business Academy in Elluokrom have elected to pursue cocoa labour services and agro-input businesses in their communities. The MASO programme is therefore building their capacity to effectively and efficiently deliver good agronomic practices to their farmers.
Through the MASO Business Academy, the youth are receiving entrepreneurial and technical skills to enable them to set up viable businesses that provide professionalized services to farmers. As a result, a four-day training session was held to equip them with the technical competences to help farmers implement Good Agricultural Practices.
The youth participants in a practical training session
The first two days were dedicated to a session on agro-chemicals. Participants were taken through how to identify approved chemicals, safe handling, storage and disposal of agro-chemicals. Participants also learnt the types and benefits of pruning and other good farm maintenance practices. A participant, Francis Boampong from Biano observed the training has increased his knowledge. He said
“I have learnt that the best time for spraying is 6 am to 10 am. It is not advisable to spray in the afternoon because it can cause harm to my body due to the direction of the wind and also the insects would have hidden somewhere making it ineffective”
The rest of the days focused on practical training of the youth. On the third day, the youth moved to a cocoa farm for practical demonstration of pruning. Though it is not advisable to prune around this time of the year, Business Academy Facilitators solicited for an unattended and bushy cocoa farm that would benefit from the pruning activity.
On the last day of training, participants were taken through the proper spraying techniques and the proper way to handle both the knapsack sprayer and mist blower. To ensure that the youth have revenues for significant periods of the year, the sessions equipped them not only provide services to cocoa farmers but farmers in engaged in the cultivation of vegetables and other food crops. Participants were cautioned about the harmful effects of spraying without the right protective clothing.
During the practical spraying session, Akwasi Adarkwah demonstrating how to mix the agrochemical in the mist blower and the knapsack sprayer
A participant from Asuonta, Richmond Fordjour, at the end remarked,
“Honestly I didn’t know that spraying without the right protective clothing could affect my health including making me impotent. From now onwards I always wear my safety boots, protective dress, gloves and hat as well as nose mask.”
The District Chief Executive for the Bia West District, Hon. John Koah, also interacted with the youth during the training. He motivated the youth by asking them to commit to their respective business ventures and the MASO programme. Hon. Koah further encouraged the participants to work hard to grow their businesses for a secured future.
A participant demonstrating the complete dress code before undertaking spraying exercise
