COCOBOD partners with Brazil to boost cocoa sector
The signing took place during a high-level meeting at Cocoa House in Accra as part of a Brazilian Presidential Mission to Africa.
The Brazilian delegation, led by Her Excellency Marirana Madeira, Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana, along with officials from ApexBrasil and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, engaged COCOBOD’s Acting Chief Executive and his management team in discussions aimed at enhancing technical and economic cooperation between the two nations.
The discussions focused on:
• Leveraging Brazilian technology to improve cocoa productivity.
• Exchanging best practices in disease management.
• Fostering research collaboration between Brazil’s cocoa sector and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG).
A key concern raised by the delegation was the global cocoa economy and pricing dynamics. The meeting also emphasised the importance of collaboration among the world’s five largest cocoa-producing nations—Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Brazil, Nigeria, and Ecuador—to improve farmer incomes and promote sustainability in the cocoa value chain.
The visit further explored areas of scientific cooperation, including:
• Joint research on cocoa flavor analysis.
• Strategies for managing cocoa diseases, such as Witches’ Broom in Brazil and Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) in Ghana.
Additionally, the delegation expressed interest in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire’s Living Income Differential (LID) of $400 per tonne, a pricing model designed to ensure better earnings for cocoa farmers.
At the end of the meeting, COCOBOD, ApexBrasil, and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock signed the Declaration of Intent to Cooperate. The agreement marks a significant step toward strengthening bilateral relations, promoting sustainable cocoa farming, and enhancing research collaborations between Ghana and Brazil.
This initiative sets the stage for greater technical exchanges, improved farmer incomes, and long-term sustainability in the global cocoa industry.
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