Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for a well structured blended financing model to support small and medium scale cocoa processors in Ghana, as the country intensifies efforts to add value to its cocoa sector.
Speaking at the EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative during the closing day of the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to shifting from the export of raw cocoa beans toward building a resilient cocoa economy that prioritizes local processing, empowers farmers, and generates sustainable jobs.
“Ghana is clear about moving beyond the export of raw cocoa beans to building a cocoa economy that empowers farmers and creates jobs,” she stated.
Highlighting the need for equitable global partnerships, the Vice President called on international stakeholders to prioritize investments that promote sustainability, value addition, and fairness in the cocoa trade. Central to this vision, she noted, must be the welfare of cocoa farmers the people who sustain the industry.
“We need partnerships that ensure investment in our cocoa sector for the benefit of the people who make this industry possible, the farmers,” she emphasized.
Prof. Opoku Agyemang identified access to financing as a major hurdle for rural cocoa processors, citing high capital costs and limited access to technical support. She proposed a blended financing model that integrates long term investment capital, affordable working capital, and capacity-building support to strengthen rural cocoa enterprises.
She urged the European Union and its partners to step up investment in Ghana’s cocoa value chain, noting that such collaboration would not only improve farmer livelihoods but also promote fairness and sustainability in the global cocoa trade.
