The Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project (TCDP), through the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), has distributed a total of 45,000 elite coconut and grafted cashew seedlings to farmers in the Eastern and Bono regions as part of efforts to diversify Ghana’s tree crop sector and improve the livelihoods of farmers.
The seedlings were distributed to 309 farmers under the project’s 2026 minor-season planting programme, with the intervention expected to support the establishment of new farms, increase agricultural productivity and create additional income opportunities for beneficiary farmers.
The initiative led by Dr Andy Osei Okra, CEO, forms part of the broader strategy to promote the cultivation of commercially viable tree crops beyond the traditional focus on cocoa, while strengthening Ghana’s agricultural value chain and export potential.
Eastern Region.
In the Eastern Region, a total of 20,000 elite coconut seedlings were allocated to farmers in the Suhum Municipality and Upper West Akim District.
The Suhum Municipality received the largest share, with 14,165 elite coconut seedlings distributed to 99 farmers.
The beneficiary farmers are expected to cultivate the seedlings on approximately 221 acres of land, thereby expanding coconut production in the municipality.
In the Upper West Akim District, another 5,835 elite coconut seedlings were distributed to 55 farmers drawn from 15 communities.
The intervention is expected to cover approximately 91 acres, providing the beneficiary farmers with an opportunity to establish or expand their coconut farms.
The distribution of the elite seedlings is also expected to improve the quality of planting materials available to farmers and contribute to increased productivity in the long term.
Bono Region
In the Bono Region, the project distributed 25,000 grafted cashew seedlings to 155 farmers in the Wenchi and Tain districts.
The cashew seedlings are expected to support the establishment of approximately 250 hectares of new cashew farms across the two districts.
The use of grafted planting materials is expected to help farmers establish productive orchards and improve the quality and commercial value of cashew production.
Cashew remains an important tree crop in Ghana, providing employment and income for farmers and other actors along the agricultural value chain.
The expansion of cashew cultivation under the programme is therefore expected to contribute to increased production, processing opportunities and export earnings.
Diversification drive
The distribution of the seedlings is part of ongoing efforts by the government and its partners to diversify Ghana’s tree crop industry and reduce overdependence on a few major agricultural commodities.
Through the TCDP, attention is being given to crops such as coconut and cashew, which have significant potential to generate income for farmers, create jobs and contribute to the development of rural economies.
The intervention is also expected to encourage more farmers to venture into tree crop production, particularly in areas with suitable climatic and soil conditions.
Apart from improving farm incomes, the expansion of tree crop cultivation is expected to generate opportunities for input suppliers, aggregators, processors, transport operators and other businesses connected to the agricultural value chain.
Supporting farmers
The provision of improved planting materials is considered an important component of efforts to increase agricultural productivity.
By making elite coconut and grafted cashew seedlings available to farmers, the programme seeks to address one of the challenges confronting tree crop farmers — access to quality planting materials.
The beneficiaries are expected to nurture the seedlings into productive farms while adopting recommended agronomic practices to ensure good establishment and sustainable yields.
The intervention is also expected to contribute to Ghana’s broader agricultural transformation agenda by encouraging commercial farming and strengthening the country’s capacity to produce tree crops for both domestic consumption and international markets.
World Bank-backed project
The Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project is financed by the World Bank and the Government of Ghana and implemented under the guidance of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
The project, through the TCDA, is supporting interventions designed to strengthen Ghana’s tree crop sector, improve farmer incomes and promote sustainable agricultural development.
The latest distribution of the 45,000 coconut and cashew seedlings therefore represents another step towards expanding tree crop production and creating sustainable economic opportunities for farmers in the beneficiary regions.
With hundreds of farmers already benefiting from the 2026 minor-season planting programme, the project is expected to continue supporting the establishment of productive farms and contribute to the long-term growth and diversification of Ghana’s agricultural sector.
