Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project launched
The Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project (TCDP) aimed at transforming the country’s agricultural industry and promote long-term economic growth has been launched in Accra by the Minister of The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan Acheampong
The $227.5 million five-year (2022 to 2027) development project being funded in partnership with the World Bank will benefit over 52,775 farmers, with a specific focus on empowering women and youth within the agricultural sector.
The project also aims to regulate and sustainably develop the production, processing, and trade of target crops including cashew, shea, mango, coconut, rubber, and oil palm.
It will be implemented in six regions, namely Western North, Eastern, Savana, Bono, Bono East, and Eastern, and expected to directly benefit farmers in improving productivity and incomes of which 40 per cent of these beneficiaries would be women.
It was launched in Accra on the theme: ‘Sowing the seeds of the future: Unlocking Ghana’s Tree Crop Potential for Inclusive and Sustainable Transformation.’
Moreover, Dr Acheampong emphasised the significance of the tree crop sector to both agriculture and the national economy, highlighting its contribution to the livelihoods of more than 1.6 million farming households, which includes commercial producers in addition to cocoa.
Similarly, he stated that, the sector offered significant opportunities for economic diversification, including job creation, poverty reduction, food security, foreign exchange earnings, and a substantial contribution to Gross Domestic Product.
However, the Minister noted that this was confronted with challenges of Poor coordination, limited technical capacity, and insufficient negotiating power, thus hindering farmers’ effectiveness.
“Despite having ample arable land for cocoa production, Ghana faces significant threats from deforestation, climate change, and other environmental issues, leading to a marked decline in suitable land. If current trends continue, many cocoa-farming households will suffer, along with a drop in the country’s foreign exchange revenues,” he revealed.
Touching on TCDP, the Food and Agriculture minister said the project was being managed by the Tree Crop Development Authority TCDA) and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) under the supervision of MOFA was meant to support sector-wide activities, reforms, and investments in priority agro-ecological areas to maximise effectiveness.
The Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, indicated that the project would rehabilitate 25, 000 hectares of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Diseases farms in Asamankese, Adaborkrom, and Essam while providing operational logistics to support rehab and extension activities.
On his part, the County Director of the World Bank, Mr Robert Taliercio O’Brien, noted that through the project, the World Bank with a $200 million credit facility from the International Development Association was supporting key value chains such as cocoa, cashew, coconut, and rubber by providing critical resources, knowledge, and expertise.
These interventions, he added, was also designed to support the country’s efforts to diversify and grow the economy by modernising agriculture, accelerating industrialisation, and prioritising climate resilience and mitigation.
BY CECILIA LAGBA
YADA
