Proforest Launches New Facility to Support Cocoa Farmers in Ahafo Region

Cocoa production in Ghana’s Ahafo Region is set to receive additional support following the commissioning of a Rural Service Centre by Proforest at Asumura in the Asunafo North Municipality.

The facility is expected to equip farmers with practical knowledge and services to improve yields, respond to climate-related challenges and protect the forests surrounding cocoa-growing communities.

The initiative falls under the Building Deforestation-free Climate Resilient Cocoa Landscape programme, which receives funding from the Walmart Foundation to promote sustainable cocoa production and responsible land management.

Farmers using the centre will benefit from technical training, guidance on farm management and assistance with adopting environmentally friendly agricultural practices. The facility will also encourage community involvement in decisions relating to natural resource management and environmental governance.

The project builds on Proforest’s previous investment in rural agricultural support. In 2024, the organisation commissioned its first Rural Service Centre at Dadiesoaba in the Asutifi South District, where farmers and neighbouring communities receive training and farm-management assistance.

Asunafo North Municipal Chief Executive Joseph Akparibo said the new facility complements the government’s agricultural development agenda, particularly the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda and the Feed Ghana Programme.

He explained that the government’s initiatives seek to boost agricultural output, strengthen food security, create jobs, supply raw materials to local industries and improve market opportunities for farmers.

Abraham Baffoe, Proforest’s Executive Director for Global and Africa, stressed the need to combine agricultural development with environmental responsibility and community welfare.

He called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to ensure cocoa-growing areas become more resilient to climate change while preventing further forest loss.

Simon Hall, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Walmart Foundation, said partnerships were essential to advancing sustainable cocoa production. He expressed confidence that the centre would help farmers improve their practices and support communities in strengthening local management of their landscapes.

The new facility adds to efforts to secure the future of Ghana’s cocoa industry by encouraging production methods that balance economic development with forest conservation.

Its services are expected to improve farmers’ access to agricultural expertise and promote better land-use practices. The extent of these benefits will depend on effective implementation, community participation and continued support from the programme’s partners.

Through the initiative, Proforest and its partners aim to advance a cocoa-producing landscape that supports rural livelihoods, withstands climate pressures and protects forests for future generations.

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