Assessment of Land Tenure-Related Constraints to Cocoa Productivity in Ghana

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In April of 2015, USAID’s Office of Land teamed up with the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and the Ghana Cocoa Board’s Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) to conduct a joint assessment of the land tenure-related constraints to productivity in Ghana’s cocoa sector. The purpose of the assessment was to determine the relationship between land tenure security among Ghana’s cocoa farmers, and overall cocoa productivity; the particular land tenure constraints relevant to the cocoa sector; and possible interventions to improve tenure security for cocoa farmers.

The team’s findings indicate a strong correlation between insecure land tenure arrangements (particularly between landowners and tenant farmers) and reduced farm productivity, specifically related to limited long-term on-farm investments and the uptake of sustainable agroforestry methods. Based on its findings, the team recommends a phased intervention approach that (1) provides a comprehensive baseline understanding of the dynamics surrounding land tenure in the cocoa sector, and (2) targets surgical interventions that can most effectively improve situational tenure security with limited resources.

The team’s findings and recommendations are explored in detail in this report.