Ghana's parliament has passed a bill that could imprison cocoa farmers for up to 20 years if they convert their farms without government approvalGhana parliament backs tough cocoa farm protections, with up to 20 years in prisonACCRA, Ghana -- Ghana's parliament passed a bill that could send cocoa farmers to prison for up to 20 years if they convert their farms to other uses without government approval, according to a copy of the bill seen by The Associated Press. The legislation would give all cocoa farms protected status, making it a criminal offense to repurpose them for anything else without authorization, drawing criticism from farmers. “If the law stands as it is now, it’s not fair,” said Moses Djan Asiedu, administrator of the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association Limited and a cocoa farmer. Many farmers invest their own money to acquire land, clear it and maintain cocoa farms for years before earning any income, yet receive little government support, said Asiedu. The toughest penalties target illegal gold mining, with a prison sentence of between 10 and 20 years, and a heavy fine for each affected cocoa tree.