Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has issued a strong call to Ghana’s traditional authorities to deliberately make land available for large-scale, responsible tree crop development, stressing that the country cannot rely on cocoa alone to drive its economic ambitions.
Speaking through the Nkoranza Manhene, Nana Kwame Baffoe IV, at the 2026 Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition, the Asantehene emphasized that traditional rulers, as custodians of over 80 percent of Ghana’s land, have a pivotal role in ensuring space for sustainable agricultural growth.
“So, I therefore issue a clarion call to all traditional authorities across Ghana. Let us deliberately make land available for large-scale, responsible tree crop development,” he urged, highlighting the economic and environmental potential of diversifying Ghana’s tree crop sector.
The summit, themed “Sustainable Growth through Tree Crops Investment: Resetting and Building Ghana’s Green Economy,” was organized by the Tree Crop Development Authority in partnership with the World Bank and other stakeholders, with President John Dramani Mahama and several ministers of state in attendance.
Citing cocoa as the country’s historical backbone, the Asantehene noted that it has educated children, built communities, supported rural livelihoods, and earned Ghana global recognition as a reliable agricultural producer.
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Yet, he warned, according to GNA, that cocoa faces growing threats, including climate change, pollution from illegal mining, shorter growing seasons, and rising pest and disease pressures, which have contributed to declining yields in several cocoa-growing areas over the past decade.
He commended government efforts to expand into other tree crops such as cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango, and shea, noting that while cocoa currently generates about two billion dollars annually, a diversified portfolio of six major tree crops could collectively bring in 12 billion dollars or more in the future.
Highlighting the transformative potential of a diversified tree crop sector, the Asantehene underscored that while the journey will demand patience, discipline, and long-term investment, it could serve as a powerful engine for Ghana’s growth: “The combined strength of Ghana’s diverse tree crops can become a powerful engine of sustainable growth. This journey will, however, require patience, long-term capital, discipline and effective coordination. Tree crops are far more than commercial commodities,” he said, cited by GNA, reiterating his call for traditional authorities to make land available and actively support this vision for a greener, more prosperous Ghana.
