Catholic Bishops demand urgent action to rescue cocoa sector

February 24, 2026

2 minutes read

THE Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for decisive measures to rescue Ghana’s struggling cocoa sector, describing the worsening crisis as a moral and economic emergency.

In a statement signed and issued by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, in Accra on Friday, and copied The Ghanaian Times, the Conference expressed grave concern over the deepening challenges confronting cocoa farmers, particularly delays in payment for cocoa already delivered.

According to the Bishops, the prolonged non-payment has resulted in unpaid labour, disrupted schooling for children of farmers, mounting debt and increasing vulnerability to illegal mining activities in cocoa-growing areas.

They also criticised the recent reduction in the producer price of cocoa, saying it has further eroded farmers’ confidence and intensified hardship across rural communities.

While acknowledging fluctuations in international market conditions, the Conference insisted that farmers must not bear the full burden of systemic and historical failures within the sector.

“At the very least, existing producer prices should be sustained where increases are not feasible,” the statement said, arguing that during years of windfall gains, producer prices were not raised proportionately.

The Bishops maintained that principles of equity and justice demand that accumulated surpluses from profitable years be used to cushion farmers during difficult periods, stressing that penalising farmers for circumstances beyond their control would be insensitive and morally indefensible.

The Conference further raised concerns about Ghana’s weakening position in the global cocoa economy, warning that shifting production dynamics in other countries threaten the nation’s long-held status as a leading cocoa producer.

It called for the immediate payment of all arrears owed to farmers, transparent financial restructuring of the Ghana Cocoa Board, sustained producer prices, and intensified investment in productivity.

The Bishops also advocated for a depoliticised national dialogue centered on farmers’ welfare, with greater emphasis on youth participation, research and local processing to secure the sector’s future.

The Conference disclosed that a detailed pastoral letter on the cocoa crisis has been conveyed privately to President John Dramani Mahama and the leadership of Parliament for their consideration and further action.

“The rescue of Ghana’s cocoa industry is not merely an economic task. It is a moral imperative. Justice for cocoa farmers is justice for Ghana,” the statement concluded.

BY TIMES REPORTER

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