The Spokesperson for the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, Nana Aduna II, says the newly enacted Ghana Cocoa Board Law offers no clear strategy for attracting young people and technological innovation into the cocoa industry.

He warned that the ageing population of cocoa farmers posed a significant threat to the future of the sector, despite its importance to Ghana’s economy.

Speaking on Thursday, August 27, on JoyFM, Nana Aduna II said the average cocoa farmer in Ghana is 63 years old, making youth participation and technological advancement critical to the industry’s sustainability.

“The average age of the cocoa farmer in Ghana right now is 63 years old. What does this bill do to attract younger minds, technology and others to the sector? Absolutely nothing,” he said.

He questioned how Ghana intended to sustain cocoa production if the new legislation did not provide targeted measures to make farming attractive and economically rewarding to the younger generation.

“And so, what is the future of the industry? What is the future of the industry?” he asked.

President John Mahama assented to the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, on Wednesday, August 26, replacing the Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 1984 (PNDCL 81) with a new regulatory framework.

The law guarantees cocoa farmers at least 70 per cent of the gross Free-on-Board price and requires a minimum of 50 per cent of Ghana’s cocoa beans to be processed locally.

It also restructures COCOBOD’s scholarship programme to prioritise courses expected to support the development and modernisation of the cocoa industry.

Nana Aduna II, however, maintained that the legislation did not adequately address the practical barriers preventing young people from entering cocoa farming or provide a clear framework for deploying modern technology across the sector.