The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has reported that it has settled its statutory payment commitments to bond holders impacted by the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) for the year 2026.
COCOBOD in a statement, said that a total of GH¢2,682,582,282.18 has been settled, including GH¢2,306,202,372.09 in principal and a settled coupon amount of GH¢376,325,910.09.
Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture John Dumelo has admonished farmers to thoroughly study the market before getting into any form of farming.
Speaking at the Agribusiness Launchpad 2.0, the deputy minister recounted how he once lost almost all his snails in business simply because they seem lucrative and he entered the market without knowing much about them.
The Impact FoodHub in collaboration with Absa Bank has organized an intense 3 day training dubbed Agribusiness Launchpad 2.0 aimed at providing support to startups within the agribusiness space and equipping them with the skills needed to scale both locally and globally .
The training took place from the 5th – 7th August 2026 and brought together key stakeholders including researchers, agripreneurs,policy makers and other key stakeholders across the value chain.
The Managing Director of Absa Bank Ghana, Dr. Edward Nartey Botchway, has stated that the biggest problem startups face in business is not finance, but rather structure.
Speaking at the Agribusiness Launchpad 2.0, organized by Impact Food Hub and Absa, Dr. Nartey Botchway argued that finance given to a business without the proper structure in place will eventually go to waste.
The President’s nominee for Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has challenged financial institutions to rethink how they support agribusinesses in Ghana.
Speaking at the Agribusiness Launchpad 2.0, Dr. Zanetor argued that farming cannot be treated the same way as other industries, calling for a different approach to how agriculture is financed in the country.
Ghana has renewed its call for a fair, transparent and high-integrity global carbon market, saying it is essential for mobilising climate finance and helping developing countries meet their emissions reduction targets. Speaking at a meeting of the Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets during London Climate Action Week on June 23, 2026, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, described carbon markets as a practical tool for unlocking investment, accelerating mitigation, and delivering real benefits for communities and nature. He revealed that Ghana had taken bold steps to integrate carbon markets into its national climate strategy, assigning 24 million tonnes of its emission reduction target to Article 6 cooperation under the Paris Agreement. According to him, the country has doubled that ambition in its revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The Deputy Minister also highlighted Ghana’s four bilateral carbon market agreements with Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore and South Korea, describing them as evidence of the country’s readiness and commitment to transparency and environmental integrity. He added Ghana’s focus is now on scaling investment in carbon finance projects, including clean cooking, renewable energy, forest conservation and methane reduction. “We want to see more high-quality mitigation activities,” the Deputy Minister said. He, however, stressed that credibility must remain at the heart of market growth. “Integrity is the foundation of trust, and trust is the currency of carbon markets”,Sulemana added. He called for fair carbon pricing and equitable benefits for host communities. The Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets is a government-led initiative launched at London Climate Action Week. Its primary goal is to spur global corporate demand for high-integrity carbon credits to help close the estimated $1.3 trillion climate finance gap.
Presidents Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire and John Dramani Mahama of Ghana have signed a new joint declaration committing both countries to fairer farm-gate prices for cocoa farmers and deeper cooperation across the sector. The declaration was signed at the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana High-Level Summit on the Cocoa Economy, which took place in Abidjan on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The two Heads of State renewed their shared commitment to a sustainable cocoa economy, placing farmers at the centre of priorities for sector governance and value sharing, building on the original Abidjan Declaration of March 26, 2018, which has served as the foundation for cooperation between the two states. The declaration stated that Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana together account for about 60 percent of global cocoa production, a position it said confers shared leadership and a special responsibility for the future of the sector. It also noted notable achievements of the two countries’ joint efforts so far, including the creation of the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), the establishment of the Living Income Differential (LID), the harmonization of marketing and price announcements to producers, the implementation of traceability, the African Regional Standards for Sustainable Cocoa (ARS-1000), and cooperation between research institutes to combat the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD). The declaration further stated that the sector remains exposed to major challenges such as price volatility, illegal gold mining, the adverse effects of climate change, the rise in the use of cocoa substitutes and equivalents, and the increasing demands of international sustainability regulations. It added that Africa, which accounts for about 80 percent of global production, it still captures only a marginal share of the value in the cocoa-chocolate supply chain. The two leaders stated they were convinced that fair remuneration for farmers is a pillar of the sector’s sustainability and a requirement for economic justice and social stability. Consequently, Ouattara and Mahama agreed to harmonize farm-gate price policies to optimize producer remuneration, stabilize the market and strengthen commercial cooperation through several key measures, including market synergy, the alignment of premiums and the harmonization of crop-season calendars. They also committed to creating added value by increasing processing capacity, encouraging regional and continental trade, and stimulating national and regional consumption of cocoa-based products. With this declaration, Ouattara and Mahama have agreed to expand the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative to other African countries, to enhance regional cooperation, harmonize sector policies, strengthen collective bargaining power on global markets, and coordinate responses to the emerging challenges of the cocoa economy.
The Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Randy Abbey, has called for deeper trust, transparency, and commitment between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire as the two countries seek to strengthen cooperation and secure greater value for cocoa from the two countries on the international market. Addressing stakeholders at a meeting of the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) in Abidjan, Dr. Abbey stressed that sustained collaboration between the world’s two largest cocoa-producing countries remains critical to improving farmer incomes, enhancing market influence, and promoting the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector. According to him, while both countries have made significant strides in advancing their shared interests through the Initiative, the success of future efforts will depend largely on the ability of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to deepen mutual confidence and maintain a common strategic direction on key industry issues, particularly cocoa pricing. “Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have a unique opportunity to shape the future of the global cocoa industry. However, this can only be achieved if we continue to work together in a spirit of openness, honesty, and trust,” Dr. Abbey stated. He noted that as countries responsible for producing more than sixty percent of the world’s cocoa, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire possess considerable leverage within the global cocoa value chain. He therefore urged both nations to move beyond dialogue and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to coordinated action that protects the interests of cocoa farmers. “With one accord, the two countries can achieve a lot in terms of price on the international market,” he emphasized. Dr. Abbey observed that fragmented approaches to pricing and market engagement could weaken efforts to secure fair value for cocoa producers, while stronger cooperation would enhance the bargaining power of both countries and improve returns from cocoa exports. He further underscored the need for transparency in all collaborative arrangements, indicating that trust remains the foundation upon which successful partnerships are built. “The discussions we hold must be matched by practical actions and mutual confidence. Without trust and transparency, it becomes difficult to achieve the common objectives we seek for our farmers and our economies,” he added. The COCOBOD Chief Executive also highlighted the importance of sustaining cooperation on broader issues affecting the sector, including sustainability, traceability, climate resilience, and farmer welfare. Established to deepen strategic collaboration between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative serves as a platform for addressing common challenges confronting the cocoa industry and promoting policies that enhance the livelihoods of cocoa farmers in both countries. Industry stakeholders have consistently argued that closer coordination between the two leading cocoa producers is essential to strengthening their influence within the global cocoa market, improving value retention within producing countries, and ensuring that farmers receive a fairer share of the wealth generated from cocoa. As global demand for sustainably sourced cocoa continues to grow and regulatory requirements become increasingly stringent, observers believe that a stronger and more united Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire partnership will be pivotal in shaping the future of the international cocoa trade and advancing the welfare of millions of cocoa farming households across West Africa.
The Deputy Minister for Finance in Ghana,Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has stated that Ghana’s problem when it comes to domestic rice production and importation is due to a lack of sufficient transformational capital . Speaking during the first day of the West African Rice Investment Roundtable here in Accra, the Deputy Minister explained that abundance in resources in the region is proof that the region’s inability to be self-sufficient in rice production has nothing to do with a shortage of natural resources. “We know that West Africa is not short of potential in rice production. We have the land, we have the water resources, and we have the farmers. What we have lacked for far too long is sufficient transformational capital capable of unlocking this potential at scale.” He stated The Transformational capital, Thomas Nyarko Ampem argued, must be patient enough to fund irrigation rather than just seasonal inputs, risk-tolerant enough to invest in storage, milling, logistics and processing rather than just commodity trading, and strategic enough to see a unified West African rice economy rather than fragmented national markets separated by borders. “Clearly, transformational capital means more than money. It means patient capital that funds irrigation, not just seasonal inputs.It means risk-tolerant capital that invests in storage, milling, logistics, and processing, not just commodity trading.It means strategic regional capital that sees a West African rice economy, not fragmented national markets separated by borders. That is the scale of ambition this movement demands.” He added Touching on the longstanding West African Jollof debate, the Deputy Minister advocated for the the conversation to shift from which country’s Jollof tastes better to which country produces enough rice to feed its people. “Therefore, the real jollof competition before us is not whose rice tastes better, even though we know Ghana’s is the best. It is whether West Africa can finally produce enough rice to feed itself competitively.” He stated The West Africa Rice Investment Roundtable is a high-level event organized by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB) with the primary objective of tackling the region’s $3.5 billion to $4 billion annual rice import bill.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku has revealed plans to establish an inter-ministerial task force to help combat the smuggling of rice out of the country. Speaking at the Day 1, of the West African Rice Investment Roundtable, the Minister who also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Asunafo South Constituency explained that the move aims at helping Ghanaian rice farmers who often are placed at a severe economic disadvantage usually because they are being forced to compete with unfairly low prices. “We are establishing an inter-ministerial task force to intensify surveillance and enforcement against rice smuggling through unauthorised border routes which continues to undercut our farmers.” He stated Eric Opoku then added that the sector has currently open to private investment and partnerships explaining that the government has done its best to create a viable business environment for them to operate in . “To the investors, financiers and development partners in this room, my message is simple. Ghana has done the work to direct the sector.We have mapped the opportunity, we have created the market certainty, we have aligned the incentives, we have built the monitoring backbone that lets you verify performance. What remains is partnership. And partnership is what we are ready for.” He added Ghana currently faces a massive 44% deficit in its rice supply. While annual consumption stands at 1.7 million tonnes and is rising by 2% each year due to population growth, local production only covers 960,000 tonnes (a 56% self-sufficiency rate), leaving the country no other choice but to spend $320 million annually on foreign rice imports to cater for its 751,000-tonne gap. The West Africa Rice Investment Roundtable is a high-level event organized by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB) with the primary objective of tackling the region’s $3.5 billion to $4 billion annual rice import bill.
