Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has announced that Ghana is stepping up efforts to increase local processing of cocoa beans as part of a broader strategy to transform the cocoa sector.

Speaking at the EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative in Brussels on the final day of the Global Gateway Forum, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said Ghana is determined to move beyond exporting raw cocoa to building a full cocoa economy that empowers farmers and creates 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.

The Vice President underscored the need for global partnerships that prioritise value addition, sustainability, and fairness in the cocoa trade.

She stressed that the people who make the industry possible — the farmers — must directly benefit from such collaborations.

“We need partnerships that ensure investment in our cocoa sector for the benefit of the people who make this industry possible, the farmers,” she emphasised.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also pointed out that financing remains a major challenge, especially because of high capital costs faced by small and medium cocoa processors.

She proposed a blended financing model that combines investment capital, affordable working capital, and technical support to strengthen rural processing enterprises.

She urged the European Union and its partners to increase investment in Ghana’s cocoa value chain, noting that such cooperation would enhance farmer livelihoods and advance fairness and sustainability in global trade.