Ghana’s Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has said that government is moving decisively to reduce the country’s dependence on raw cocoa exports by prioritising large-scale local processing and value addition across the cocoa value chain.
Speaking at the European Union Sustainable Cocoa Initiative in Brussels, the Vice President said the policy shift reflects Ghana’s commitment to building a more sustainable and inclusive cocoa economy that generates jobs, retains wealth locally, and improves the livelihoods of farmers.
“Our shared challenge now is to move beyond trade based on commodity dependence towards a partnership built on value addition, sustainability and fairness,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said. “For Ghana, processing more of our beans at home is both a legitimate aspiration and a strategic imperative.”
According to the Vice President, ongoing incentives and reforms in the cocoa sector have already expanded Ghana’s domestic processing capacity to about 500,000 tonnes per annum, representing a major step towards the government’s goal of processing at least 60 percent of all cocoa produced locally before export.
She explained that the new policy mix includes targeted tax incentives, financing support, and public-private partnerships aimed at encouraging investment in value addition facilities. The government is also supporting local entrepreneurs to establish small- and medium-scale processing plants across cocoa-growing regions.
“It is no longer sufficient for Ghana to remain a supplier of raw beans,” she said. “We are determined to retain more value at home by building the capacity of our local processors and creating a more equitable distribution of wealth within the cocoa sector.”
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang underscored the need for stronger institutional and financial backing for small-scale cocoa processors, who often face challenges with access to credit, equipment, and international markets.
She said government will expand technical assistance programmes to ensure these enterprises can meet international quality standards and sustainability certifications.
The Vice President urged global partners, including the European Union, development finance institutions, and private investors to collaborate with Ghana in supporting a responsible, climate-smart, and traceable cocoa supply chain.
“We welcome partnerships that ensure our cocoa is not only sustainably sourced but also ethically processed,” she said. “Such cooperation must translate into better prices, better working conditions for farmers, and greater resilience for the industry as a whole.”
The Vice President’s announcement aligns with Ghana’s long-standing vision to transform its cocoa industry from a raw commodity base into a modern agro-industrial sector.
The strategy includes expanding the role of COCOBOD, promoting local chocolate manufacturing, and increasing export earnings from finished and semi-finished products such as cocoa liquor, butter, and powder.
Cocoa remains Ghana’s most important agricultural export, contributing nearly 30 percent of total export earnings and supporting millions of livelihoods.
Yet, for decades, the bulk of Ghana’s cocoa has been exported in its raw form, yielding limited value for producers and the economy.
By investing in local processing, the government hopes to reverse this trend, create more skilled jobs, and enhance Ghana’s negotiating power within global cocoa markets, particularly under the new EU sustainability and deforestation regulations.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to work with the European Union and other partners to build a fair and transparent cocoa sector that rewards sustainability and innovation.
“The future of cocoa must be built on shared prosperity,” she said. “We must ensure that the hardworking farmers who make this industry possible benefit fully from their labour.”
Her remarks were widely welcomed by industry stakeholders and international development partners, who commended Ghana’s renewed push for value addition as a model for sustainable agricultural transformation in Africa.
