Ghana’s Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) will host the first Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit (GTCIS) from February 17 to 20, aiming to mobilize $100 million in investment for each of the six strategic tree crop value chains it oversees, targeting a total of $600 million, Ecofin Agency reported.
The value chains include cashew, oil palm, rubber, coconut, shea, and mango.
The summit, themed “Sustainable Growth Through Investment in Tree Crops: Resetting and Building Ghana’s Green Economy,” is expected to attract over 6,000 participants, including institutional investors, development finance institutions, agro-industrial operators, policymakers, and trade partners from across Africa and beyond.
TCDA plans to use the event to secure partnerships and financial commitments that will expand local processing, improve producer incomes, and reduce reliance on raw commodity exports.
“The perennial crops sector of Ghana represents one of our most promising opportunities for inclusive economic growth and industrial transformation. GTCIS 2026 is not simply a conference: it is a platform to demonstrate our investment readiness, forge lasting partnerships and build a globally competitive value chain,” said Andy Osei Okrah, Director-General of the TCDA, in comments relayed by Graphic Online.
The call for new investment reflects the government’s push to support growth across these agricultural value chains. In August 2025, TCDA projected that each of the six sectors could generate up to $2 billion in annual export revenue by 2030, provided sufficient investment, expanded processing, and well-structured market systems.
By comparison, cashew exports, Ghana’s second-largest agricultural export after cocoa, generated only $237 million in 2024, according to the Ghana Statistical Service.
Since this projection, stakeholders have intensified development initiatives across several tree crop segments.
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On February 6, authorities announced plans to double the national coconut cultivation area to 180,000 hectares by 2028 through a high-yield seed program, aiming to raise export revenues from coconut and related products by 60% to $18.1 million annually and solidify Ghana’s leadership in the sector.
In January, President John Dramani Mahama launched an industrial hub for shea processing in Wa, Upper West Region.
The project is designed to attract investment for value addition in cosmetics, food processing, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals, aligning with policy goals to enhance industrial processing.
The oil palm sector has also regained attention, with authorities targeting self-sufficiency by 2025.
Under the National Integrated Oil Palm Development Policy for 2026–2032, a $500 million financing facility will support private investment in the sector.
While no major plans have been announced yet for cashew or rubber, stakeholders in both sectors are seeking government support to strengthen processing activities.
In September, the Rubber Processors Association reported an annual revenue shortfall exceeding $100 million due to low processing levels and weak regulation that fails to incentivize industrial operators.
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Image Credit: Britannica
