In a bold move to restore Ghana’s cocoa production to its peak levels, the government has announced plans to acquire 200,000 hectares of land for new cocoa plantations, a strategy aimed at reversing years of declining output and revitalizing the sector.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, speaking at the swearing-in of a new 11-member Board of Directors for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) at the Ministry of Finance, described the initiative as critical to Ghana’s economic recovery.
“The cocoa sector remains the backbone of our economy, and we cannot afford to let it crumble,” he asserted. “Years of poor management and neglect have eroded our production levels, and it’s time to correct course.”
Once a global powerhouse in cocoa production, Ghana’s output has plummeted from its historic high of one million metric tonnes to just about 500,000 metric tonnes in recent years. This decline has not only hurt the national economy but also threatened the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.
To address this, the government plans to establish large-scale plantation farms alongside traditional smallholder plots. These plantations are expected to significantly boost national output, create jobs, and stabilize the sector.
The initiative will also include the rehabilitation of disease-hit farms, particularly in the Western Region, where swollen shoot disease has decimated vast stretches of cocoa farms.
Dr. Forson emphasized that the Finance Ministry and the Bank of Ghana, both of which now hold mandatory seats on the COCOBOD Board, will play a critical role in supporting the sector’s recovery.
The newly inaugurated Board, chaired by Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has been tasked with implementing a turnaround strategy to restore Ghana’s reputation as a world leader in cocoa production.
“We must reset, retool, and reposition COCOBOD to meet the challenges of the modern cocoa industry,” Dr. Ampofo stated, echoing the government’s determination to revive the sector.
As global concerns over cocoa supply shortages and price volatility continue to grow, Ghana’s renewed focus on expanding its production capacity is seen as a critical step toward regaining its position as a dominant force in the international cocoa market.
