THE World Cocoa Forum (WCF) and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) have announced that Ghana will host the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in 2027 in Accra.
The meeting is expected to be held between March 16-19, will bring about 500 delegates from 38 countries in the cocoa value chain.
At the meeting, pressing challenges and opportunities including climate resilience, crop disease, farmer livelihoods, supply security and long-term sustainability are to be discussed.
To be held under the theme: ‘From Origin to Global Resilience,’ next year’s meeting which coincides with Ghana’s 70th independence anniversary and COCOBOD’s 80th anniversary would focus on the critical role of producing countries and farming communities in shaping the future resilience of the global cocoa economy.
Launching the day in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, said the importance of producing countries could not be overlooked as they remain the backbone of the cocoa sector.
He said despite over 50 million people directly involved in the cocoa value chain of over $100 billion, many cocoa farmers continue to live below middle income levels.
“That contradiction must concern all of us. The future of chocolate cannot be secured when the future of the farmers remain uncertain,” Mr Ampem stated.
He said notwithstanding the myriad of challenges confronting the cocoa sector, cocoa prices have experienced historic volatility exposing the structural vulnerability within the global cocoa economy.
“The global cocoa sector is therefore at a reflection point. The old model is no longer sustainable. Clearly, the future of cocoa will depend on resilience, fairness, sustainability and shared responsibility across the entire value chain,” he noted.
For Ghana, he said “cocoa is not just an export commodity but a strategic national asset” because for generations, it has supported livelihoods, finance developments, and contributed significantly to the country’s economic transformation.
In view of this, he said government was on a cocoa sector reset to reposition it for long-term survival, resilience and competiveness and restore prosperity and dignity for cocoa farmers across the country.
For the Chief Executive of the COCOBOD, Dr Randy Abbey, the planned meeting in Ghana reflects the longstanding partnership between the Board and the WCF and the shared commitment to support the future of cocoa.
“As COCOBOD marks 80 years of service to Ghana’s cocoa sector, we are pleased to welcome the global cocoa community to Ghana for discussions focused on resilience, sustainability and the future of cocoa farming”, Dr Abbey said.
Mr Chris Vincent, the President of the WCF, said bringing the meeting to Ghana reflects the importance of convening the conversations in a major cocoa-producing country and close to the farming communities at the heart of the sector.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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