Rehabilitated Cocoa Farms in Ghana
The President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, launched the nationwide rehabilitation of cocoa farms in 2020 to tackle the rampant Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD).
Cocoa farms in Ghana plagued by the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease were cut down, disinfected, and replaced with high-yielding fruit-bearing cocoa cultivars.
Cocoa growing areas in Ghana
Hon Joseph Boahen Aidoo, COCOBOD’s Chief Executive, hit national headlines while inspecting a 145.8-hector rehabilitated cocoa plantation in Kumikrom in the Western Region’s Bekwai District.
Following his meeting with the Kumikrom cocoa farmers, he stated that it was time for the first adopters of the rehabilitation scheme to take over the upkeep of their properties.
According to a 2017 report, more than 50% of the Western North Region’s 509,295.53 hectares of farmer’s fields had indeed been attacked, and 315,886 hectares of a combined amount of 1.9 million hectares of cocoa farm had been lost to the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease.
- List of Cocoa growing areas in Ghana by Region
- Ashanti
- Brong-Ahafo
- Central Region
- Eastern Region
- Western Region
- Volta
Cocoa Rehabilitation Project Ghana
COCOBOD pays the cost of all agricultural operations and labor costs throughout the two-year restoration phase. It also provides GH1000.00 per hectare to any farmer with an affected farm being rehabilitated.
Benefits of Cocoa Farming in Ghana
Large employment also has been provided for the youths in cocoa areas, who contribute physical labor and logistical support to rehabilitate cocoa farms. Aside from youth employment, cocoa accounts for around 57 percent of Ghana’s agricultural exports. The figures in the table below illustrate the contribution of cocoa cultivation to the gross domestic product. This includes the previous year’s data and the current and projected cocoa contribution to the Ghanaian economy.
Cocoa’s contribution to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 2014 to 2024
| Cocoa Production Years | GDP in Billion Ghana Cedis |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 2.07 |
| 2015 | 1.9 |
| 2016 | 1.77 |
| 2017 | 1.93 |
| 2018 | 2.0 |
| 2019 | 2.11 |
| 2020 | 2.2 |
| 2021 | 2.25 |
| 2022 | 2.52 |
| 2023 | 2.68 |
| 2024 | 2.82 |
Is Ghana the largest exporter of cocoa?
Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa exporter, after only Ivory Coast. Ghana cocoa farms continue to provide the best cocoa beans used worldwide. Ghana cocoa beans are sun-dried, regarded as the finest way of drying cocoa beans. Ghana cocoa farms produce around 1,047 thousand tons per year to fuel the worldwide cocoa product manufacturing industries in making products such as milo, chocolate, cocoa liquor, sweets, and many more.
What is Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease
Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease is a major impediment to cocoa production in West Africa, notably in Ghana, where the virus was first identified in 1936. Several virus strains can cause yellowing leaves, plant dieback, and substantial production losses. The most severe strains of the virus can destroy the plant in 2-3 years in sensitive cultivars like West African Amelonado cocoa.
Symptoms of swollen shoot disease
Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease can infect cocoa plants at any stage of development.
- Swelling of roots
- Stem swelling
- Chlorosis of leaves
- Primary vein reddening
- Abnormal cocoa pod shape formation
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