The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for urgent and decisive action to protect Ghana’s cocoa farmers as economic pressures on the sector continue to mount.
The bishops expressed deep concern over delayed payments, declining producer prices, and the growing hardships confronting rural communities whose livelihoods depend on cocoa production.
They noted that many farmers have suffered financial losses and social difficulties due to unpaid cocoa deliveries.
“During years of windfall gains, producer prices were not raised proportionately. Farmers should not bear the full burden of systemic and historical failures,” the statement said.
Emphasising the need for fairness and justice in the sector, the Conference urged the government to stabilise producer prices and use accumulated surpluses to cushion farmers against further hardship.
The bishops also called for a depoliticised national dialogue that prioritises farmers’ welfare and secures the long-term sustainability of the cocoa industry.
They warned that Ghana risks losing its competitive position in the global cocoa market.
“Ecuador is on course to overtake Ghana as the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, while Nigeria and Cameroon threaten to form a powerful third force.
These shifts, alongside climate stress and land degradation from illegal mining, place Ghana at a strategic crossroads,” the statement said.
Concluding the statement, Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi said:
“Youth participation, research, and local processing must be prioritised to secure the sector’s future.
The rescue of Ghana’s cocoa industry is a moral imperative, not merely an economic task.”
The Conference also disclosed that it has shared a detailed pastoral letter on the cocoa crisis with former President John Dramani Mahama and the Leadership of Parliament for urgent consideration.
