Miss Josephine Asantewaa, the Bechem District Cocoa Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board has lauded the contribution of women farmers into the growth of the cocoa sector in the area.

She said due to the hard work of the women cocoa farmers, the area recorded improved, abundant and quality cocoa yields in the crop season.

Ms Asantewaa gave the commendation when she addressed the Annual Festival of the Bechem District Women Cocoa Farmers' Cooperative and Marketing Central Union (BECOF) at Bomaa in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region.

It was on the theme "growing gender equality: empowering women and youth in agriculture".

Ms Asantewaa indicated that the cocoa sector and farming in particular, remained a lucrative enterprise, saying farming had become a good business, and urged the women to take their farming business seriously to earn more income.

She also urged the cocoa farmers to follow best farming practices to achieve

maximum returns, and pledged the Union's support to enable them to improve productivity.

Ms Philomena Opoku, The Tano North Municipal Director of Agriculture also commended the farmers for forming the Union, and for contributing to the growth of the cocoa sector and the local economy.

She urged them to always seek the assistance from the Agriculture Extension Agents for quality cocoa beans.

In all more than 300 farmers from the 13 societies of the BECOF attended the festival which also honoured some of the deserving farmers.

Sompaonline.com/K.Peprah