The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Coco Board, Mr. Tony Fofie, has disclosed that Ghana will host the 49th Annual General Assembly of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO).

The primary objective is to take up the challenges associated with the world coffee sector through regional and international cooperation so as to protect the interest of African Coffee producers and the economies of the producing countries.

The IACO is an intergovernmental organisation made up of 25 African coffee producing countries namely: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagacar among others.

Mr. Fofie noted that the forum will serve as a platform for discussion and exchange of information between the various members over issues pertaining to the coffee industry and also to reinforce, negotiate and collaborate with national, sub-regional, regional, international and multilateral organisations.

He hinted that Africa currently accounts for about 12% of global production of coffee and Ghana's coffee cultivation dates back to the latter part of the 18th century when it was introduced into the country at the same period as cocoa.

''Its development has however lagged behind cocoa and has generally been grown on small holdings scattered throughout the cocoa growing areas with a few large plantations'', he emphasised.

He disclosed that Ghana received modest earnings of US$1,331,308.36 and US$ 2,767,378.00 from coffee exports in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Mr. Fofie added that through IACO the creation of a coffee research body known as The African Coffee Research Network (ACRN), which brings together Coffee Research Institutions from other member countries, has been established.

''ACRN aims at promoting collaboration between the coffee research centres towards improving productivity through research, and also offers  opportunity to discuss activities of the research network and their impact on solving problems  confronting stakeholders in the coffee  value chain in Africa'', he said.

According to him, a workshop on coffee statistics aimed at building capacity of countries to enable them improve upon their compliance of the statistical rules of the International Coffee Organisation will form part of the general meeting of ACRN.

Mr. Tony Fofie stated that the 49th Annual General Assembly of the IACO will serve as a launching pad for revamping coffee production and marketing for the realisation of the full potential of the sector.

Source: ISD (Michelle Fafa Agbenorto)