Rehabilitated Cocoa Farms in Ghana

The President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, launched the nationwide rehabilitation of Cocoa farms in 2020 to tackle the rampant Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD).

Cocoa farms in Ghana that were plagued by the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease were cut down, disinfected, and replaced with high-yielding fruit-bearing cocoa cultivars.

Cocoa growing areas in Ghana

Hon Joseph Boahen Aidoo, COCOBOD’s Chief Executive, hit national headlines while inspecting a 145.8-hector rehabilitated cocoa plantation in Kumikrom in the Western Region’s Bekwai District.

Following his meeting with the Kumikrom cocoa farmers, he stated that it was time for the first adopters of the rehabilitation scheme to take over the upkeep of their properties.

According to a 2017 report, more than 50% of the Western North Region’s 509,295.53 hectares of farmer ’s field had indeed been attacked, and 315,886 hectares off a combined amount of 1.9 million hectares of cocoa farm had been lost tothe Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease.

• List of Cocoa growing areas in Ghana by Region
  • Ashanti 
  • Brong-Ahafo
  • Central Region
  • Eastern Region
  • Western Region
  • Volta

Cocoa rehabilitation project Ghana

COCOBOD pays the cost of all agricultural operations as well as labour costs throughout the two-year restoration phase. It also provides GH1000.00 per hector to any farmer with an affected farm that is being rehabilitated.

Benefits of cocoa farming in ghana

Large number of employment also have been provided for the youths in cocoa areas, who contribute physical labour and logistical support in the rehabilitation of cocoa farms. Aside from youth employment, cocoa accounts for around 57 percent of Ghana’s agricultural export. The figures in the table below illustrate the contribution of cocoa cultivation to the gross domestic product. This includes previous years data, the current and projected cocoa contribution to the Ghanaian economy.

Cocoa’s contribution to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 2014 to 2024

Is Ghana the largest exporter of cocoa?

Ghana is the world’s second largest cocoa exporter, after only Ivory Coast. Ghana cocoa farms continue to provide the best cocoa beans used worldwide. Ghana cocoa beans are sun dried, which is regarded as the finest way of drying cocoa beans. Ghana cocoa farms produce around 1,047 thousand tons per year to fuel the worldwide cocoa product manufacturing industries in making products such as milo, chocolate, cocoa liquer, sweets, and many more.

What is Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease is a major impediment to cocoa production in West Africa, notably in Ghana, in which the virus had first been identified in 1936. There are several strains of the virus that can cause yellowing leaves, plant dieback, and substantial production losses. The most severe strains of the virus can destroy the plant in 2-3 years in sensitive cultivars like West African Amelonado cocoa.

Symptoms of swollen shoot disease

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease can infect cocoa plants at any stage of development.

• Swelling of roots
• Stem swelling
• Chlorosis of leaves
• Primary vein reddening
• Abnormal cocoa pod shape formation

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