Ghana

Program Overview

Ghana produces 20% of all the cocoa in the world and has one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa, driven by expansive agriculture mainly through cocoa farming. To tackle deforestation, Ghana is implementing the Cocoa-Forest REDD+ Programme on a 5.92 million-hectare area located in the southern partof the country, which forms part of the West Africa Guinean Forest biodiversity hotspot.

Through this program, Ghana is promoting sustainable cocoa production systems in an agro-forest mosaic that produces high-quality, nature-friendly cocoa while benefiting local communities with 12 million people. The program seeks to leverage a strong private sector commitment and investment into a climate-smart cocoa production system and standard, and supported by a suite of policy interventions and reforms.

Ghana’s Cocoa-Forest REDD+ Program is ambitious and will be jointly coordinated by the National REDD+ Secretariat (NRS) at the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Ghana Cocoa Board, in partnership with a broad set of private sector, public sector, civil society, traditional authority, and community people.

Ghana aims to reduce 294 million t CO2 equivalent in the 20 years of the program, representing a reduction of 44% compared to historical emissions. To achieve this, Ghana has placed special attention to securing strong private sector engagement and community support.

Production:

811,700 in 2019 ton

Area under production:

1,478,462.00 in 2019 ha

Source: FAOSTAT Crop Database

For a visualization of trade flows and export volumes by commodity type visit Ghana’s page on the Observatory of Economic Complexity

Get in touch with (*) producer organizations to explore preferential sourcing options in Ghana!

CJA Assessment

Applicable Standard:

Ghana’s Cocoa-Forest REDD+ Programme is a jurisdictional initiative that was formally approved under the Carbon Fund of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF-CF) in May 2017.

Eligibility status under CJA:

Since the Carbon Fund is one of CJA’s pre-qualified standards, this program qualified for Pathway 2 of confirmation of eligibility under CJA.

The Jurisdictional program is in substantial compliance with all 6 of the CJA eligibility criteria. Therefore, the program area (Cocoa-Forest Eco-zone) qualifies under the CJA and is eligible for preferential commodity sourcing. The screening to confirm eligibility against CJA criteria was conducted in 2019.

Scorecard

Type of Jurisdiction

Sub-national region (Eco-zone)

Type of Assessment

Pathway 2: Confirmation of eligibility

Applicable Standards

FCPF-Carbon Fund

Assessment Results:

National Determined Contribution (NDC) with forest and/or land use commitments

Active engagement of different stakeholders

Strong Political Support

Social and Environmental Safeguards Reporting

Forest Monitoring System and baseline

Action Plan to reduce forest loss

Legend

Fully met

Partially met

Not met

Click here to see performance against CJA criteria in detail

Ghana’s Cocoa-Forest REDD+ Programme

Implementation area/jurisdiction

Cocoa-Forest Landscape

Applicable standard

FCPF-Carbon Fund

Type of Assessment

Pathway 2: Confirmation of eligibility

Criteria & Status

Supporting Documentation

NDC with forest and/or land use commitments

Fully met

The jurisdictional initiatives is located in a country with an Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the UNFCCC that includes forest and/or land use commitments.

Status:

GHANA’S NDC INCLUDES ACTIONS RELATED TO THE LAND USE, LAND USE CHANGE AND FORESTRY SECTORS.

Ghana First NDC: Ghana’s intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) and accompanying explanatory note

Active engagement of stakeholders

Fully met

Multiple stakeholders have been engaged in the program’s design and implementation, including actors at community level.

Status:

EXTENSIVE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS WERE CONDUCTED AT NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL, AND COMMUNITY LEVELS AS PART OF PROGRAM DESIGN. THERE ARE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER GOVERNANCE PLATFORMS ESTABLISHED TO ENSURE LONG-TERM STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION.

Section 5 of the Emissions Reduction Program Document (ERPD) on Stakeholder Consultation and Participation: Emissions Reduction Program Document (ERPD): Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP)

Strong political support

Fully met

There is high-level political commitment to, and support for, the program’s design and implementation from government partners.

Status:

GOVERNMENT SIGNED AN EMISSIONS REDUCTION PAYMENT AGREEMENT UNDER FCPF DEMONSTRATING ITS COMMITMENT TO REDUCE AT LEAST 10 MTON OF EMISSIONS.

Signed ERPA (Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement): Tranche A; Tranche B
Letter of support included in Emissions Reduction Program Document (ERPD): Third Amendment to the Letter of Intent
Statement By Her Ladyship Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo
President Of Ghana Rallies Support To Address Deforestation And Forest Degradation 2nd National Redd+ Forum

Reporting on social and environmental safeguards

Fully met

There is a commitment to adhere to social and environmental safeguards and monitor these efforts. A system to report on safeguards compliance is established.

Status:

AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK AND A GRIEVANCE MECHANISM WAS DEFINED FOR PROGRAM. SAFEGUARDS IMPLEMENTATION WILL BE REPORTED THROUGH A SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION SYSTEM.

A system for forest monitoring and baseline

Fully met

There is a system to measure, report, and verify reductions in deforestation and associated greenhouse gas emissions against a baseline that was determined for the entire area covered by the jurisdictional strategy.

Status:

AN MRV SYSTEM AND PLAN ARE ON TRACK FOR FULL OPERATION.

Program Strategy to reduce forest loss

Fully met

There is a government-led compelling strategy to reduce deforestation in the jurisdiction while increasing agricultural productivity and improving livelihoods.

Status:

THE EMISSION REDUCTION PROGRAM HAS BEEN FORMALLY APPROVED BY THE FCPF SECRETARIAT AND IT IS CURRENTLY UNDER IMPLEMENTATION.

Additional information

Contact Information

Entity responsible of program management: Forestry Commission of Ghana;
Name: Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie; Mr. Yaw Kwakye;
Email/phone: kwadwoowusuafriyie@yahoo.com; ykwakye.hq@fcghana.org;

Entity co-managing the program: Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD)
Name: Mr. Emmanuel Opoku, Cocoa Health and Extension Division
Email/phone: ea_opoku@yahoo.co.uk

Commodity/Agriculture-based institution: Ministry of Food
and Agriculture (MOFA)
Name: Seth Osei Akoto, Director of Crops Services
Email/phone: oakoto2012@gmail.com

Initiatives supporting the program: World Cocoa
Foundation (WCF)
Name: Sander Muilerman
Email: sander.muilerman@worldcocoa.org

Other relevant initiatives in the jurisdiction

Cocoa Life in Ghana Initiative supported by Mondelez
A landscape approach to sustainable cocoa production supported by IDH and Touton
Cocoa & Forest Initiative by the World Cocoa Foundation
Olam’s cocoa in Ghana
Forest Investment Program in Ghana (FIP)

Profile updated on: June 2021

Program Overview

Commodities Overview

Palm Oil

Bananas

Sugarcane

Soy

Maize

Coconuts

Cassava

Cashew Nuts

Cocoa

CJA Assessment

Applicable Standard:

Eligibility status under CJA:

Scorecard

Legend

Ghana’s Cocoa-Forest REDD+ Programme

Contact Information

Other relevant initiatives in the jurisdiction

Addressing deforestation effectively and for the long term requires a collaborative effort among businesses, governments, and local actors.

Photo attribution: © Greg Armfield / WWF-UK

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