The Government of Ghana has unveiled a high-stakes agricultural roadmap to double the nation’s coconut plantation footprint from 90,000 hectares to 180,000 hectares by the end of 2028.
This aggressive expansion, spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Initiatives on Agriculture and Agribusiness, is designed to cement Ghana’s status as a global powerhouse in the coconut value chain and provide a sustainable economic lifeline for millions.
Currently, Ghana holds the prestigious title of Africa’s leading coconut producer and ranks among the top 12 globally, churning out an annual yield exceeding 500,000 metric tonnes of fresh coconuts.
With the sector already supporting the livelihoods of nearly 1.8 million people, the new directive aims to move beyond raw exports toward a sophisticated, high-value industrial model.
Under the Coconut Value Chain Development Initiative, the state has already hit significant milestones. A total of 3 million high-yield, three-month-old seedlings have been distributed to over 2,000 farmers across 11 regions.
This intervention has effectively injected 31,500 hectares of fresh plantations into the national tally, bringing the current total to over 121,000 hectares as of early 2026.
Speaking at a critical Training and Capacity Building Programme, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives on Agriculture and Agribusiness, emphasised that the “Accra Reset” under President John Dramani Mahama prioritises mental transformation alongside physical inputs.
“This initiative has added 31,500 hectares of new coconut plantations to the existing 90,000 hectares across Ghana. The vision of the sector is that in the medium term—by the end of this term in 2028—the total coverage of coconut plantations in the country will be doubled from 90,000 hectares to 180,000 hectares,” Dr Otokunor stated.
A central pillar of the 2028 strategy is shifting farmers from being mere “harvesters” to “agri-entrepreneurs.”
Dr Otokunor warned that selling raw produce remains a “poverty trap”, urging farmers to explore processing, packaging, and branding to unlock premium international markets.
Key components of the Farmer Empowerment Programme:
- Business Management: Training in treating farming as a commercial enterprise.
- Pest & Disease Control: Advanced techniques to protect the new 180,000-hectare target from lethal yellowing and other threats.
- Modern Planting: Precision agriculture to maximise yield per hectare.
- Value Addition: Capacity building for the production of coconut oil, milk, and activated carbon.
The ambitious expansion is backed by a robust financial and organisational framework.
Ghana Exim Bank has been hailed as a critical partner in financing the agribusiness surge and facilitating the export of finished coconut products.
Isaac Obeng Antwi-Arko, Deputy Manager for Projects at Ghana Exim Bank, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to agriculture as a cornerstone of national development.
Supporting the grassroots implementation is the Coconut Federation of Ghana (COCOFEG).
The federation’s Project Manager, Abdul-Rahman Tamimu, described the government’s intervention and Exim Bank’s support as timely, noting that the initiative addresses long-standing bottlenecks like low productivity and technical knowledge gaps.
As the government pushes toward the 180,000-hectare goal, Dr Otokunor urged the current beneficiaries to act as national ambassadors.
“Agriculture is being supported, opportunities exist, and farming can be profitable,” he told the gathering, signalling a new dawn for the “Green Gold” of the Ghanaian coastline.
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