The Government of Ghana, in collaboration with the World Bank, is set to launch the Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project (TCDP) on Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Accra, a new initiative aimed at diversifying the country’s agricultural sector and promoting sustainable economic growth through tree crops.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) announced the project in a statement Monday, noting its goals to address challenges affecting productivity and sustainability in the cultivation of cocoa, cashew, coconut, and rubber.

The TCDP also aims to tackle social issues such as child labour and gender inequality in the industry.

The $227.5 million initiative, supported by a $27.5 million contribution from the Ghanaian government through COCOBOD, will focus on four main components: 1) Institutional Strengthening and Value Chain Governance, 2) Enhancing Tree Crop Productivity and Climate Resilience, 3) Support for Post-Harvest Management, Value Addition, and Market Access, and 4) Project Coordination, Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation.

“The TCDP is structured to boost productivity and competitiveness, enhance climate resilience, and lower greenhouse gas emissions for targeted tree crops,” MoFA stated.

Measures to combat child labour and promote gender equity within the agricultural workforce will also be prioritised.

The programme will span 11 districts across six regions of Ghana, chosen for their potential impact. Key locations include cocoa-growing areas in Western North’s Essam and Adabokrom, and Asamankese in the Eastern Region; cashew production sites in Bole and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba in the Savannah Region, Wenchi and Tain in the Bono Region, and Techiman Municipal and Techiman North in the Bono East Region; coconut-growing zones in Upper West Akim and Suhum in the Eastern Region; and rubber in Upper West Akim.