Valuing Pollination as an Ecosystem Services: The Case of Hand Pollination for Cocoa Production in Ghana

The promotion of cocoa farm productivity has necessitated the intensification input use with ensuing loss natural pollinators. Ghana Cocoa Board’s (COCOBOD) remedy to declining pollinator population is addressed in rolling out hand pollination 2016/17 crop year. Applying contingent valuation on field data covering 608 farmers five growing regions, we estimate value services industry and willingness pay for service. We find that are willing improve their yields. Farmers averagely at $1.3 per acre land. Extrapolated cover all cultivated lands 2017/18 year, Ghana’s $6.1 million annum. Hand can farms yields given statistically significant mean difference between hand-pollinated non-hand-pollinated farms. Having established from decline need effective support productivity, it imperative COCOBOD ramp up strategies preserving ecology safe guard industry.