Ghana’s government aims to acquire 200,000 hectares for new cocoa plantations by year-end to boost dwindling production.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson announced this effort to counter climate change, disease, and illegal mining impacts.
The government stated this land acquisition will support existing smallholder farms for sustainable sector growth.
Forson highlighted the necessity of strong actions due to the production drop from 1 million to 500,000 tons.
The Ministry of Finance elaborated on this plan via a statement on X, emphasizing that these newly acquired cocoa lands are intended to work in tandem with the existing operations of numerous smallholder farmers across the country.
This complementary approach aims to ensure a more resilient and sustainable trajectory for Ghana’s vital cocoa sector in the long term.
Forson, who also serves on the board of the cocoa regulator, underscored the urgent need for bold and impactful interventions to effectively address the sharp and concerning decline in cocoa production.
He highlighted the stark reality of production halving from a peak of 1 million metric tons to approximately 500,000 tons in recent years, necessitating swift and comprehensive action.
