Prof Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang says Ghana is clear about moving beyond the export of raw cocoa beans to building a cocoa economy that empowers farmers and creates jobs.
She has therefore asked the European Union Sustainable Cocoa Initiative to be partners to ensure investment in the sector to help improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
The Vice President was speaking at the EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative session in Brussels on the last day of the 2025 Global Gateway Forum.
“The EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative can be a partner in this journey by supporting investment, the processing, unlocking financing for co-operatives and to small- and large-scale enterprises and ensuring that sustainability standards are inclusive and not punitive”.
She called on the gathering to work together to build the cocoa sector that would not only provide “effective cosmetics, healthy food products” but also “enriches the lives of the farmers and communities who made these possible.”
She urged the EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative and the Global Gateway Framework to capitalize on this. The Vice President noted that new digital traceability systems are being rolled out to ensure transparency, combat child labour and reassure consumers.
She added that in reality global demand remained strong and African consumption is rising.
“A major risk rather is under investment and failing to capture more value as demand grows. Trade barriers also pose another challenge. Our tariffs on how beans are often zero duty rise significantly on cocoa powder, chocolate and others limiting our ability to export processed goods,” she noted.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, said cocoa is part of the country’s broader transformations indicating “our big push initiative is building infrastructure for agro industrialization while the Connect 24 pillar of our 24-hour economy ensures there is seamless flow of energy and data.”
Professor Naana Jane said Ghana is clear about the road ahead stressing, the need to move beyond exporting raw beans to building a cocoa economy that empowers farmers, creates jobs, develop industry and upholds sustainability.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
