The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has hailed farmer Mohammed Anchala as a trailblazer after he successfully cultivated cocoa for the first time in the Northern Region – a historic breakthrough that has stunned industry experts.
Mr Anchala, who farms on a modest two-acre plot at Jahinfo Ya near Bimbilla in the Nanumba North Municipality, harvested three bags of cocoa beans during the 2024/2025 crop season, marking the first documented commercial cocoa production north of the traditional cocoa belt.
A high-powered COCOBOD delegation led by Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control, Dr Francis Kwamina Baah, visited the groundbreaking farm to witness the feat firsthand.
During the visit, Dr Baah announced that Mohammed Anchala will be honoured with the prestigious Best Innovation Farmer Award at the 41st National Farmers’ Day celebrations scheduled for Ho in the Volta Region.
COCOBOD assured the farmer of intensified extension services, including deployment of dedicated officers to provide Productivity Enhancement Programmes (PEPs) such as free fertiliser, pruning, pollination and pest control, as well as training in Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs).
As a token of appreciation, the delegation presented Mr Anchala with cartons of premium cocoa products and an undisclosed cash prize.
The farmer expressed excitement about the recognition and remains optimistic about significantly increasing yields in the 2025/2026 season.
Traditionally confined to Ghana’s forest zones in the south, cocoa cultivation has long been considered unsuitable for the Guinea and Sudan savannah belts of the north due to climatic and soil challenges. Mr Anchala’s success has therefore sparked fresh interest in the potential expansion of cocoa farming into new regions, offering hope for greater inclusion of northern farmers in Ghana’s multi-billion-dollar cocoa economy.
COCOBOD says it is studying the breakthrough to determine how the achievement can be replicated across suitable areas in the northern savannah zones.