The Liberia Agriculture Commercial Regulatory Agency (LACRA) has begun a 3-day quality control training course for its agents/officers in a bid to improve the Liberian cocoa sector.
Dr. John S. Flomo, Director General of LACRA believes the training will enhance the ability of the quality control agents to ensure cocoa farmers carry out the best practices in farming and meet global standards.
The training focuses on how the quality control agents can assess the quality of cocoa, work with farmers and cooperative to manage their warehouses and also provide some assistants to farmers.
When asked about his observations of the cocoa sector in Liberia, Dr. Flomo cited some challenges, especially cocoa quality control, lack of funding for farmers and the difficulty farmers face in acquiring cocoa seedlings.
In addressing some of the challenges, Dr. Flomo said in 2019, LACRA distributed 8,000 seedlings to farmers in Grand Cape Mount County and developed a nursery in Grand Bassa County. He continued that they look forward to providing more to farmers, so they increase the size of their farms and thereby raise cocoa production.
Dr Flomo also explained that they will enforce some government regulation concerning quality control, help to train farmers, and stem the illegal trade of cocoa.
Liberian cocoa gets exported across the border, especially to Sierra Leone. Agents will work alongside the Liberia Immigration Service to ensure that their cocoa does not leave the country illegally.
Dr. Flomo said, four of the trained agents will be assigned to Lofa, four will be assigned in Nimba.
As well as quality control, some of the training topics covered include harvest and post-harvest management practices such as
Harvesting
Storage
Pod breaking
Pod maturity
Specific training around the best practices for fermentation of cocoa beans:
Heap fermentation
Basket & box fermentation
Soaking beans after the fermentation
Finally, training on the drying process including:
Raised bed
Solar dryers
Concrete floor
Tarpaulin
Mechanical methods
Dr. Flomo explained that there are some illegal dealers involved in exporting and buying of cocoa. He advises farmers to get registered with LACRA and get certified under the scheme.
