VOA慢速英语--加纳可可种植者失去土地和生计

Ghana’s Cocoa Growers Lose Land, Livelihoods¹

The government in Ghana has announced plans to increase the incomes of cocoa farmers. But, cocoa farms are being destroyed, with or without the permission of the farmers.

Many cocoa farmers cannot do anything about the situation because they rent the land. The land owners are ending their leases³ early to develop other crops.

This month, a bulldozer cleared the land Ama Serwah rented in Asikesu for growing cocoa and other crops. Serwah is the bread-winner of her family. Now, she is trying to think of how to support her children and grandchildren.

Asikesu is an area in Ghana famous for growing cocoa. The country supplies about 20 percent of the world’s total cocoa crop.

Many hectares of cocoa trees like Serwah’s have been destroyed in Asikesu. Farmers like Serwah have toiled⁵ for years growing their crops, on land they do not own or have control over. They believe the land was cleared to raise cattle.

Serwah said the money she received for the loss of her crops was not enough. And, with land and her crops gone, she said she does not know how she can feed her family.

David Servor is another former cocoa farmer. He returned to look at the recently destroyed land which he once farmed. Servor used the profits from his cocoa farming to help pay for his children's school fees.

Now, with no land to farm cocoa, Servor cannot pay his rent. He has been told to leave his home.

"About two weeks now I have not had sleep," he said. "Thinking, thinking, thinking, because all what I have done in my lifetime has gone forever. And it's like I'm alive but I’m dead.”

In Ghana, a government body makes rules for the cocoa industry. This government body sets the price that growers earn from their beans.

Earlier this year, Ghana added a "living income differential" fee of $400 on every ton of cocoa beans sold on the market. The country did this with the aim of improving the livelihoods of farmers.

The Concerned Farmers Association⁶ does not believe that will help. The president of the Association is Nana Oboadie Opambour Boateng Bonsu. He said Ghana's cocoa farmers need to protect the crop on which they depend.

Bonsu said, "This is a serious challenge and it's something that we have been fighting for for so long, but it seems the government has put wax⁷ in its ears because government is not all that serious about this cocoa issue."

The Ghana Cocao Board sets rules for the cocoa industry in the country. It says the major issue is farmers losing their lands. The agency⁸ said farmers rent land from chiefs who later take it back when they see other opportunities.

While the cocoa agency works⁹ with chiefs to fight against the practice, it does not have the right to tell landowners what to do with their property. However, officials say the group offers legal representation¹⁰ to farmers to deal with payment¹¹ for lost property.

I’m Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

rent –v. to regularly pay for the use of property

lease² –n. an official agreement to pay the owner a set amount for the use of property

bulldozer –n. a kind of earth moving equipment

toil⁴ –v. to work

challenge –n. a difficult task

opportunity –n. a chance to do or gain something

1 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

2 lease   

n.租约，租期，租；v.出租，租出，租得

参考例句：

• When does the lease of the house run out?这房子的租约何时到期？
• He signed the lease yesterday.昨天他在租约上签了字。

3 leases   

租约，租契( lease的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Leases frequently run for a year or a term of years. 租凭通常以一年或几年为一个租期。
• The firm leases an office with views over the river. 公司租一个带临河风景的办事处。

4 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

5 toiled   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
• He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

6 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

7 wax   

n.蜡，蜡状物，震怒；vi.变大，增大，月亮满；vt.用蜡涂

参考例句：

• I wax my boots chiefly to waterproof them.我给靴子打蜡主要是为了防水。
• I wax the floor once a month.我每月给地板打一次蜡。

8 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

9 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

10 representation   

n.表现某人（或某事物）的东西，图画，雕塑

参考例句：

• The painting is a representation of a storm at sea.这幅画描绘的是海上的暴风雨。
• All parties won representation in the national assembly.所有政党在国民大会中都赢得了代表资格。

11 payment   

n.付款，支付，偿还，偿还，报应

参考例句：

• I gave ten pounds in payment for the goods I bought.我买那些东西付了10英镑。
• This last payment will wipe out your debt to me.这最后一笔付款将了结你欠我的债务。