Cocoa crisis: Ghana’s farmers want next leader to tackle climate change

Kate Buadu, 75, a farmer in Oyoko, in eastern Ghana, pointed to clusters of cocoa pods that were covered in a white, powdery mold.

“Many of my cocoa trees failed this season because of pests and diseases. The weather patterns have changed. The rains no longer come as they used to, and when they do, they bring pests and diseases with them,” she said.

Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer after Ivory Coast, is a powerhouse in the global chocolate industry. Together, Ghana and Ivory Coast supply over 60% of the world’s cocoa, contributing to the nearly 6 million tons produced globally each year. 

Agriculture is Ghana’s largest employer, with the cocoa sector alone providing jobs for over 1 million farmers. In 2021, cocoa contributed more than 10% to the country’s gross domestic product, amounting to $533 million.

Yet, after three consecutive years of poor harvests, Ghana’s production has dropped to under 430,000 tons — about half of what it usually produces. So now, global cocoa prices have more than doubled, forcing chocolate makers to raise prices and straining consumers further.

The cocoa tree thrives in humid tropical regions, requiring stable temperatures between 64-89 degrees, high humidity and consistent rainfall. But erratic weather patterns, driven by climate change, have disrupted these delicate requirements, leaving farmers vulnerable.

Diseases like black pod and swollen shoot virus are now spreading and leading to poor and reduced yields.

“This year, I got four bags of cocoa; last year, it was six bags, and the year before, 10 bags. So, you see how things are getting worse? If the government doesn’t help us with pesticides, sprayers, and irrigation, we’ll lose our livelihoods, and the cocoa industry will collapse,” she said.

Farmers also face higher production costs as the Ghanaian cedi depreciates, making it more expensive to purchase supplies and materials.

Cocoa farmer Akua Donkor, 71, said that in the last two years, her 1.5-acre farm has been plagued by swollen shoot and black pod disease, leading to low harvest. The black pod disease, a fungal infection, thrives in warm, humid conditions, and climate change has created environments where the fungi can reproduce faster and infect more plants, devastating cocoa farms.

“Before, we could manage these pests by simply spraying insecticide, but now, they are everywhere, and the chemicals we use are becoming less effective. At my age, this is too exhausting,” she said.

Many women farmers lack access to the resources needed to adapt, such as improved seeds, pest-control measures, and training in climate-resilient farming techniques.

Disruptions in Ukraine’s fertilizer exports have also driven costs over 50% above pre-COVID levels, reducing cocoa yields in Ivory Coast and Ghana and straining farmers with limited alternatives.

Cocoa merchant Opanin Kwarteng said that they rely on consistent bean volumes to meet contracts with processors and exporters. Declining yields mean fewer beans to purchase.

“The supply chain is really collapsing. In the past, I could source over 500 bags of cocoa beans each season to meet the high demand. But today, it’s a struggle to secure even 200 bags,” he said.

He said the situation is pushing some farmers to abandon cocoa farming for more stable crops, which makes cocoa merchants like him lose key suppliers.

Climate-induced pest and disease damage also affects the quality of cocoa beans, which leads to higher rejection rates at quality control checkpoints.

At the Fairafric chocolate factory at Suhum, the managing director, Michael Marmon-Halm, said they source the majority of their cocoa beans locally. Yet, like many in the industry, soaring global cocoa prices are hitting them hard. The cost has almost doubled.

“So, obviously, we are going into the market to go and buy cocoa beans for $9,000 per ton. Like this is completely insane,” he said.

Marmon-Halm said that while some chocolate makers around the world are turning to substitutes like artificial flavorings and other types of cocoa butter, his company is determined to keep the original, rich taste intact, but at an extra cost to the consumer.

So, currently, a bar of locally produced chocolate that once sold for $15 now costs about $29.

Maame Frema, a shopkeeper in Koforidua, said that she shares her frustration.

“I just don’t understand why chocolate keeps getting more expensive. We grow a lot of cocoa here, so why is it costing me more to buy? It makes no sense,” she said.

While the Ghanaian government has taken steps to modernize old farms, improve soil quality, and raise cocoa prices, farmers argue that these efforts fall short of addressing their immediate needs.

So now, organizations like Fairafric are encouraging climate-friendly practices from areas where they source their cocoa beans.

”The drive to go organic, the drive to employ techniques such as diversified agroforestry [where cocoa is grown alongside other crops and trees] programs are what we are championing with the cooperatives that we work with. These provide a unique way of growing the commodity and also saves the environment,” he said.

Lord Mensah, an economist at the University of Ghana Business School, agreed. He said that the private sector must take a more active role in supporting climate adaptation.

Grassroots initiatives like Fairafric’s tackle climate change by offering practical, localized solutions tailored to the needs of specific farming communities.

“We need to appreciate that our economy, basically, is driven by the cocoa sector, the gold and a little that we get from petroleum. So, if you have a commodity that drives your economy, I think we have to move fully when it comes to policy,” he said.

As Ghana prepares to vote in its presidential election this weekend, cocoa farmers are paying close attention to candidates’ plans.

John Mahama, the presidential candidate for the opposition National Democratic Congress, has promised to supply year-round irrigation for cocoa farmers. Meanwhile, Mahamudu Bawumia, the candidate for the New Patriotic Party, aims to establish resource centers in each district to boost farm profitability.

Daryl Bosu, Deputy Director of the environmental conservation group A Rocha Ghana, said that while private-sector-led climate initiatives are valuable, the government must prioritize addressing rampant deforestation and environmental destruction.

Ghana has pledged to reforestation programs under the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI), but enforcement remains weak. Illegal gold mining and encroachment by estate developers continue to exacerbate pressures on the struggling cocoa industry. 

In 2021 alone, illegal mining destroyed over 19,000 hectares of cocoa farmland in the western and Ashanti regions, according to the Ghana Cocoa Board.

“To provide support to cocoa farmers, we need to see the politicians prioritize nature-based solutions. And we can only do this by addressing the major drivers of deforestation in the country,” he said.

Bosu explained that the loss of tree cover raises temperatures and reduces humidity, making it harder for cocoa trees to grow. Forests also protect soil from erosion and nutrient loss, and without them, soil fertility declines, leading to reduced cocoa yields.

He said that policymakers must focus on long-term solutions, such as subsidizing eco-friendly pesticides, enforcing land-use regulations, and creating financial mechanisms to help farmers adopt sustainable practices.