By Edward Adjei Frimpong
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called for comprehensive, long-term agribusiness financing models to accelerate the transformation of Ghana’s tree crops value chains and broaden the country’s export base for sustainable development.
He stressed that capital remains indispensable to agricultural transformation and urged financial institutions, pension funds, insurance companies, family offices and high-net-worth individuals to deliberately channel patient capital into large-scale tree crop investments.
“Tree crops are long-term, resilient, inflation-heavy investments,” he noted, emphasising their suitability for institutional portfolios seeking stable, long-duration returns.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Paramount Chief of Nkoranza, Nana Kwame Baffoe IV, at the inaugural Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Fair in Accra, the Asantehene underscored the need to align agriculture with structured finance, insurance, research and technology.
“In advanced economies, agriculture attracts structured finance, insurance, research and technology. Ghana must follow this path. Let us invest not only in concrete impulses, but in living assets that mature over time and reward the future,” he stated.
The four-day summit, held under the theme “Sustainable growth through tree crops investments: Resetting and building Ghana’s green economy,” seeks to attract investment, raise awareness, promote the sector and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders across the value chain.
Diversification beyond cocoa
The Asantehene observed that Ghana’s over-reliance on cocoa has constrained the country’s broader economic aspirations. “This is not a rejection of cocoa. It is a call for reinforcement. It is a call for strategic diversification,” he said.
He noted that while cocoa currently generates approximately $2 billion annually, it is realistic to envision a future where six major tree crops collectively generate $12 billion or more in annual export earnings.
He commended government for its resolve to diversify the tree crops sector with a focus on cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango and shea, with the ambition of developing each to rival and potentially surpass cocoa. “This is an ambition worthy of national applause,” he added.
Positioning tree crops within Ghana’s green economy agenda, the Asantehene argued that unlike extractive activities that degrade land for short-term gains, tree crops reward foresight, stewardship and long-term commitment.
“At a time when Ghana seeks to reset and rebuild a green economy, tree crops present our most natural and reliable pathway,” he stated.
Scaling production targets
Delivering his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, said Ghana possesses the foundational assets required to succeed in the tree crops sector, including productive land, experienced farmers, expanding processing capacity and access to global markets.
He outlined ambitious production targets aimed at transforming the sector’s contribution to jobs and foreign exchange.
The TCDA plans to increase cashew production from 250,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes by 20230; oil palm from 265,000 tonnes to 1.1 million tonnes; rubber from 145,000 tonnes to 400,000 tonnes; mango from 150,000 tonnes to 450,000 tonnes; and coconut from 504,000 tonnes to one million tonnes.
According to Dr. Okrah, these targets are projected to generate more than 500,000 new jobs and up to $12 billion in annual foreign exchange earnings.
The summit forms part of broader efforts to reposition tree crops as a central pillar of Ghana’s agricultural transformation strategy, deepen value addition and reduce vulnerability to commodity price volatility by expanding the country’s export base.
