Ghana’s cocoa sector is set for a major boost following a $75 million commitment by the World Bank to rehabilitate thousands of hectares of degraded cocoa farms across the country.
The funding, mobilised under the West Africa Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP), will target the restoration of about 25,000 hectares of cocoa farmland impacted by disease and declining productivity. The initiative is expected to improve yields, increase farmer incomes, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
Speaking at a World Bank Civil Society Organisation engagement on food security in Accra, Agricultural Economist at the World Bank Ghana, Ashwini Sebastian, highlighted the broader objective of the programme in building resilient food systems across the sub-region.
“The West Africa Food Systems Resilience Programme, financed by the World Bank and implemented by the Government of Ghana, has enabled us to leverage grant financing,” she said.
“We have received seed funding from the Norwegian government, which we are deploying through the programme to support key agricultural value chains.”
According to Dr. Sebastian, the initiative extends beyond cocoa to include efforts aimed at strengthening seed systems and improving crop resilience, particularly in northern Ghana.
“We are piloting seed varieties that can be used during the dry season, especially in the north, to improve productivity and resilience,” she noted.
She further revealed that the programme is supporting diversification efforts by providing cashew seedlings to farmers to broaden income sources and enhance livelihoods.
Describing the cocoa rehabilitation as a flagship component of the programme, Dr. Sebastian said: “We are putting in almost 75 million dollars to rehabilitate 25,000 hectares of cocoa farms that have been affected by disease,” she said. “Our immediate target is to restore about 5,000 hectares by July.”
The intervention will involve replacing diseased and ageing cocoa trees with improved, high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties, alongside the promotion of better farm management practices.
Ghana’s cocoa industry has been grappling with persistent challenges, including swollen shoot disease, ageing plantations, and the impact of climate variability, all of which have contributed to declining output in recent years.
As one of the world’s leading cocoa producers, the country relies heavily on the crop for foreign exchange earnings. Analysts say the success of the rehabilitation programme could play a crucial role in stabilising rural incomes, boosting exports, and reinforcing the resilience of Ghana’s agricultural sector.
The World Bank emphasised that strengthening key value chains such as cocoa remains essential to ensuring food security and building a more robust and sustainable food system across West Africa.
