Ghana to host 2027 World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting
Ghana will host the 2027 World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting, marking the first time in over a decade the event is held in Africa, with Deputy Minister of Finance Thomas Nyarko Ampem emphasizing the need for stronger partnerships to address sustainability challenges. The meeting coincides with COCOBOD’s 80th anniversary and aims to secure financial commitments from global buyers to support cocoa farmers facing climate change, rising input costs, and low prices.
Ghana has been selected to host the 2027 World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Partnership Meeting, the first time in over a decade the event will take place in Africa since the 2016 edition in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Deputy Minister of Finance Thomas Nyarko Ampem announced the decision in Accra, highlighting the urgency of treating cocoa sustainability as a priority rather than a secondary issue. The meeting will focus on strengthening collaboration between governments, industry leaders, financial institutions, research organizations, civil society, and farming communities to ensure a sustainable future for cocoa production. Ampem stressed that long-term investment, fairer value distribution, and predictable market partnerships are essential to address the challenges faced by producing countries, which often bear the greatest production risks while remaining at the bottom of the value chain. Dr. Randy Abbey, CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), described the cocoa industry as standing at a critical crossroads, threatened by climate change, plant diseases like swollen shoot, and rising input costs. He noted that despite cocoa’s global popularity, farmers struggle to earn a living income due to low prices and systemic strain. Ghana has begun investing in climate-smart agriculture, farm rehabilitation, and traceability systems, with Abbey urging international partners and chocolate manufacturers to provide concrete financial support. The 2027 Partnership Meeting will align with COCOBOD’s 80th anniversary, featuring events to celebrate the milestone alongside discussions on sustainability. Mawuli Coffie, WCF Country Director for Ghana and Nigeria, emphasized the need for economic focus at the farm level, advocating for stronger partnerships to ensure cocoa farming remains viable. He highlighted Ghana’s leadership in the global cocoa sector and expressed confidence that the international community will collaborate to shape the industry’s future during the meeting.
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