Ghana will host the 2027 World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Partnership Meeting from March 16 to March 18, next year, in Accra.

The meeting will bring together leaders from across the global cocoa and chocolate industry at a pivotal moment for the future of the cocoa sector.

The 2027 meeting, on the theme: “From Origin to Global Resilience,” will focus on the critical role of producing countries and farming communities in shaping the resilience of the global cocoa economy and strengthening collaboration across the cocoa value chain.

Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem, the Deputy Minister of Finance, announcing the partnership, said hosting the 2027 WCF Partnership Meeting went beyond organising an international conference, adding that it symbolised Ghana and Africa’s continued leadership within the global cocoa economy.

He said cocoa remained a strategic national asset for Ghana, supporting livelihoods, financing national development and contributing significantly to economic transformation over several decades.

Mr Ampem observed that although cocoa sustained a global chocolate industry valued at more than 100 billion dollars annually, many cocoa farmers in producing countries continued to live below acceptable income levels.

He described the situation as a major contradiction that threatened the long-term future of the cocoa industry and called for urgent reforms to ensure fairness and sustainability across the value chain.

The Deputy Minister identified climate change, cocoa swollen shoot disease, environmental degradation, supply chain complexities and price volatility as some of the major challenges confronting the sector.

He said the global cocoa industry had reached a critical turning point where resilience, sustainability and shared responsibility had become essential for the survival of the sector.

Mr Ampem said Ghana had, therefore, embarked on a major transformation agenda known as the “Cocoa Reset,” aimed at repositioning the country’s cocoa sector for long-term growth, resilience and competitiveness.

He explained that the reforms focused on improving governance and transparency, strengthening farmer support systems, enhancing productivity, promoting disease control and expanding local cocoa processing and value addition.

“Ghana is determined to move beyond the export of raw cocoa beans and retain greater value within producing countries through industrialisation and local processing,” he added.

Mr Ampem said sustainability could no longer be treated as a secondary issue, as international market access increasingly depended on compliance with sustainability and traceability standards.

Ghana remained committed to climate adaptation measures, forest protection, landscape restoration and climate-smart cocoa production to safeguard the future of the sector, he added.

The Deputy Minister stressed the need for stronger collaboration among governments, industry players, financial institutions, development agencies and farming communities to secure the future of cocoa.

He noted that resilience could not be achieved by farmers and producing countries alone and called for fairer value distribution and long-term investment across the cocoa value chain.

Ghana looked forward to welcoming global leaders, cocoa companies, farmer organisations, civil society groups and development partners for discussions aimed at building a resilient and prosperous future for the cocoa industry, he said.

Mr Chris Vincent, President of the World Cocoa Foundation, described Ghana as the most fitting destination to host the Partnership Meeting.

Speaking virtually at the official announcement, he said Ghana remained one of the world’s leading cocoa-producing countries and was globally recognised for the quality of its cocoa beans and longstanding support for cocoa farmers.

He expressed appreciation to the Government and the Ghana Cocoa Board for their partnership and leadership in advancing the cocoa sector, noting that the meeting would provide a major platform for global dialogue on the future of cocoa.

Mr Vincent noted that the event would coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Ghana Cocoa Board, describing it as a significant milestone in Ghana’s contribution to the global cocoa industry.