Thomas Nyarko Ampem, Dr. Randy Abbey and other officials
Ghana is set to host the 2027 World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Accra, which will position the country at the centre of global efforts to rescue the cocoa industry from mounting threats including climate change, crop diseases and declining farmer incomes.
According to the Finance Ministry, the high-level meeting, scheduled for March 2027, marks a major recognition of Ghana’s leadership role in the global cocoa economy and comes at a critical moment for the future of the sector.
Announcing the event, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, warned that the global cocoa industry faced deep structural challenges that threatened both production and the livelihoods of millions of farmers.
He noted that cocoa supports more than 50 million people worldwide and underpins a global chocolate industry valued at over US$100 billion annually, yet many farmers who sustain the industry continue to live in poverty.
“That contradiction must concern all of us because the future of chocolate cannot be secure if the future of cocoa farmers remains uncertain,” he stated.
According to the Deputy Minister, the sector is under unprecedented pressure from climate change, environmental degradation, cocoa diseases, volatile global prices and growing demands for sustainability and traceability.
He said these challenges had exposed longstanding weaknesses within cocoa-producing economies and underscored the urgent need for reforms and stronger international cooperation.
The 2027 World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting is expected to attract global industry leaders, chocolate manufacturers, policymakers, development partners and sustainability experts to discuss solutions to the sector’s most pressing concerns.
Key issues expected to dominate discussions include climate resilience, farmer livelihoods, supply chain sustainability, crop protection, productivity and long-term supply security.
Mr. Ampem described the meeting’s theme, “From Origin to Global Resilience,” as consistent with Ghana’s ongoing “Cocoa Reset” agenda, which seeks to reposition the country’s cocoa industry for sustainable growth and increased competitiveness.
He said the reset agenda represented one of the most ambitious transformation drives in Ghana’s cocoa sector in decades, with reforms aimed at restoring financial discipline, strengthening governance and improving farmer support systems.
The government, he explained, was also prioritising increased local cocoa processing to enable Ghana retain more value from its cocoa exports while improving productivity across the sector.
Mr. Ampem said the Accra meeting would provide an important platform for shaping what he termed a “new global cocoa compact” focused on farmer prosperity, sustainability, innovation and resilience.
The event will coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Ghana’s 70th anniversary celebrations, a development government believes will deepen discussions on the strategic importance of cocoa to the national economy.
By Ernest Kofi Adu