How Ghana approves use of chemicals on cocoa

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has reminded the general public that the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) is the only institution it has mandated to test the efficacy of all chemicals used on cocoa, coffee and other mandated crops.

In seeking approval to use a particular chemical on cocoa, COCOBOD said a sample of the product is first submitted to the Board with the necessary information (Material Safety Data Sheet) on the product by the company concerned and the product is then forwarded to CRIG for testing.

CRIG then carries out the following procedures to ascertain the efficacy of the product:

A.    INSECTICIDE
1.    Laboratory test (or laboratory assay)
2.    Active Ingredient Composition Analysis
3.    Small Scale Field Trial
4.    Large Scale Field Trial
5.    Residue Analysis and Tainting Test
6.    Issue of Report to COCOBOD for Approval
7.    Issue of Certificate by CRIG to the company
8.    Thereafter, the product’s effects are monitored yearly and certificate reissued
Note: The whole process takes three to four years and can be terminated at any point that the product fails.

B.    FUNGICIDE
1.    Laboratory Screening
2.    Small-scale Field Trial (Researcher-managed)-2 years
3.    Large-scale  Field Trial (Farmer-managed)-2 years
4.    Final Report
5.    Yearly Interim Reports (evaluation)
Note: The whole process takes four years and can be terminated at any point that the product fails.

C.    FERTILIZERS
a) Granular Fertilizer
1.    Laboratory analysis
2.    Field trials (Agronomic and Socio-economic  assessment)
3.    Final Reports
4.    Yearly evaluation

b) Foliar Fertilizer
1.    Nursery Studies
2.    Laboratory Analysis
3.    Field Trials (Agronomic and Socio-economic assessment)
4.    Final Reports
5.    Yearly evaluation
Note: The whole process takes four years and can be terminated at any point that the product fails.

CRIG is obliged to provide yearly reports on the candidate chemical to COCOBOD and the company.

COCOBOD uses the testing process to screen chemicals used on cocoa to ensure their efficacy, minimal effect on the environment especially non-target insects and also avoid the situation where Ghana’s high quality cocoa is compromised by the use of unapproved chemical molecules leading to rejection by our international buyers.

All stakeholders are kindly advised to take note and be guided accordingly.

Source: Ghana Cocoa Board