Asantehene Calls for Joint Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire Action on Cocoa Sector Challenges
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to adopt a unified approach to tackle the deepening challenges in the cocoa sector, warning that working in isolation will not yield results.
Speaking on May 8, 2026, during a meeting with the Managing Director of the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), H.E. Alex Assanvo, the Asantehene said the recent fall in global cocoa prices had worsened the plight of farmers and destabilised the industry.
“The fall in cocoa prices was something that gave me a headache. We have to look at it and take a common position,” Otumfuo said.
His Majesty described the sector’s problems as multifaceted and said both countries must jointly diagnose and address them.
“We cannot do that in isolation. If we say that we are doing it individually, we won’t succeed. We have to find out what is wrong, what we can do together, and how to build together. We need to look at smuggling objectively to see how we can solve it.”
The Asantehene expressed concern over the dwindling interest of young people in cocoa farming, noting that the sector is increasingly sustained by older farmers.
“Now, people in Ghana are unwilling to farm. It’s still the older ones who are into cocoa farming. The young ones want to live in urban cities with air conditioning. They don’t find it attractive, and that is what we have to change.”
Otumfuo stressed that despite Ghana’s growing resource base, agriculture remains the mainstay of the economy.
“Though we have other resources, agriculture is the mainstay of our economy. It creates employment and holds our economy together so we can build.”
To reverse the trend, he called for targeted incentives for the youth, a fair pricing mechanism, improved fertiliser support, and stronger efforts at value addition.
“We need to add value to our cocoa. If we don’t process it ourselves and sell the beans raw, we lose so much. We create employment if we add value and export.”
H.E. Alex Assanvo told the Asantehene that high-level discussions between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire were already underway.
He disclosed plans for a meeting with Ghana’s Minister of Agriculture and a presidential summit co-chaired by President John Dramani Mahama and President Alassane Ouattara.
At the summit, the two leaders are expected to issue a joint message on tackling cocoa diseases, stabilising market prices, and rallying other producing countries to the cause.
“Together, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire represent over 80% of global production,” Assanvo said.
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire established the CIGCI in 2019 to coordinate policies, improve farmer incomes, and strengthen the countries’ bargaining power in the global cocoa market.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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