501 cocoa farmers receive land right documentation under Beyond Chocolate project in Ghana

During a Durbar attended by Traditional authorities on 29 June 2022, documentation was received by over 500 cocoa farmers, mainly migrants, including 120 women. The beneficiary farmers came from Adabokrom, Bodi and Asawinso Cocoa Districts.

“The land registration documents will give beneficiary farmers a long-term view of their cocoa farming businesses and empower them to make the right investment decisions to enhance farm productivity and improve their livelihoods”

Fred Frimpong
Country Sustainability Manager for Barry Callebaut/Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Ltd, Ghana

Nana Kofi Nkua II, representing the Paramount Chief of the Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Authority, reiterated the Traditional Authority's commitment to work with all stakeholders to formalise over ten decades of customarily land arrangement with farmers. He thanked Barry Callebaut, Nyonkopa Cocoa Limited, IDH, Meridia, and the beneficiary farmers for taking this bold initiative.

Given a goodwill message at the function, Charles Brefo-Nimo, IDH’s Country Manager, expressed his joy for the achievement of 100% of the deliverable of the provision of the land rights document, which provides the opportunity for the implementing partners to upscale and possibly replicate the project in other cocoa landscapes across the country.

Impact

• 501 beneficiaries

• 500 migrant cocoa farmers reached

• 120 of whom women

Part of
Beyond Chocolate

Country and region
Ghana, Sefwi-Bodi, Sefwi-Anwianso, Bia West and Bia East cocoa districts.

Commodity Chain
Cocoa

Partnership
Cocoa Horizons Foundation, Callebaut (Barry Callebaut Belgium), Aldi South group, Boris B Farms Limited, Envirofit, Koudjis Ghana Limited, Solidaridad, West Africa Limited, and Meridia.

"I did not believe this would ever happen. We initially thought that the Chiefs wanted to know the size of our lands so they could take it from us, as we are seen as migrants. The issuing of these documents is good news. We will spread the message about it to other farmers."

Ebenezer Allottey
A beneficiary farmer