Ghana close to issuing forest carbon credits under J-REDD+ programme – Minister

Ghana has announced it is close to issuing forest carbon credits under its ambitious J-REDD+ programme, as ministers and senior officials gathered in London with COP30 and COP31 leaders to accelerate action on forests ahead of the 2030 deadline to halt and reverse forest loss.

 

Ghana’s flagship Jurisdictional Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (J-REDD+) framework transitions traditional REDD+ projects into large-scale, national carbon credit programs. By focusing on entire ecological zones and linking climate finance directly to sustainable agriculture and livelihoods, it aims to protect forests while directly benefiting rural communities

 

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, called for a trusted international framework for jurisdictional forest carbon credits, highlighting the programme's potential to scale investment into high-quality forest and land-use mitigation activities that deliver climate benefits while improving livelihoods.

 

The event dubbed “From Glasgow to Addis Ababa: FCLP and COP Presidencies Building Momentum on Forests from COP30 to COP31,” focused on maintaining forests as a priority through the next phase of international climate cooperation, from COP30 in Brazil through COP31 in Türkiye.

 

Ministers from Nigeria, Indonesia, and Ghana, shared a range of national initiatives and priorities, including recent commitments related to the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment, sustainable bioeconomy initiatives, and high-integrity forest carbon credits. 

 

Nigeria’s Environment Minister, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, highlighted the Nigerian government’s work across a range of forest initiatives including the Great Green Wall and the implementation of a National Clean Cooking Policy and re-affirmed Nigeria’s support for the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment. 

 

Minister of Forestry of Indonesia, Raja Juli Antoni, underlined the importance of protecting tropical peatlands and mangroves through the establishment of international centres for cooperation. He noted that mangroves are of the most effective nature-based solutions available, delivering climate mitigation and sustainable livelihoods. Indonesia is home to 3.4 million hectares of mangroves – roughly 23 per cent of the world’s mangrove ecosystems. 

 

The event also featured new commitments on land tenure rights from Peru and Brazil and a major forest finance pledge from Norway, underscoring growing momentum behind forest protection, sustainable land use and climate action ahead of COP30 in Brazil and COP31 in Türkiye.

 

The gathering underscored the growing importance of forests across the international climate agenda, bringing together representatives from multiple COP cycles to discuss how political leadership, finance, and implementation can help deliver the goal of halting and reversing forest loss by 2030.

 

"The ‘From Glasgow to Addis Ababa’ moment is key to sustaining the shift from ambition to implementation on forests. It allows us to advance the Roadmap to Halt and Reverse Deforestation and Forest Degradation by 2030, keeping political momentum alive and ensuring forests stay at the heart of climate action at the scale and speed required," said COP30 President, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago.

 

COP31 President, Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye, also said “the COP31 Action Agenda is designed to strengthen partnerships, advance practical solutions, support implementation efforts, and create a lasting legacy.

 

“To this end, we have identified ten priority themes under the COP31 Action Agenda. These themes were not selected merely as areas of discussion; rather, they reflect the most pressing global challenges, the implementation needs of Parties, and the areas where COP31 can generate tangible and enduring impact”.

 

 

Ghana's cocoa future at risk without producer-centred climate policies — Study

A new study has called for a major rethinking of climate adaptation and sustainability policies in Ghana's cocoa sector, arguing that future investments must focus not only on protecting cocoa trees and boosting production but also on strengthening the resilience of cocoa producers.

 

The call was made at a gathering in Accra to discuss findings from the study titled "Towards a Cocoa Producer-Focused Climate Policy in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana."

 

The research, conducted by scholars from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and partner institutions such as Harvard University, the Institute for Cacao and Chocolate Research and the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) in Côte d'Ivoire, argues that current climate adaptation strategies remain overly focused on cocoa production while paying insufficient attention to cocoa producers.

 

A Research and Policy Breakfast attracted researchers, policymakers, cocoa cooperatives, industry actors, development partners, civil society organisations, and representatives from Ghana's cocoa sector.

 

Presenting the findings, Dr. Albert Arhin of KNUST's Institute for Rural Development and Innovation Studies (IRDIS) noted that climate adaptation efforts in the cocoa sector have traditionally focused on increasing yields, controlling pests and diseases, and improving environmental sustainability.

 

He argued that while these interventions remain important, they are no longer sufficient on their own.

 

"Climate change is not only affecting cocoa trees. It is affecting the people who grow cocoa. Farmers are reporting rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, declining yields, increasing production costs, physical exhaustion, and growing uncertainty about the future of cocoa farming. These human dimensions of climate change require much greater policy attention," said Dr. Arhin.

 

The research was undertaken across cocoa-growing communities in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire and combined household surveys, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and participatory research methods to capture farmers' experiences and perspectives.

 

According to the findings, many cocoa farmers are experiencing increasing difficulty managing climate-related shocks. Farmers reported working fewer hours during periods of extreme heat, facing rising labour demands, and struggling to implement adaptation measures due to financial constraints. Some also expressed concerns about whether younger generations would remain interested in cocoa farming under increasingly challenging conditions.

 

The study comes at a critical time for Ghana's cocoa sector. National production has declined in recent years, falling from historical averages of around 800,000 tonnes to approximately 600,000 tonnes. While several factors contribute to this trend, including pests, diseases, ageing farms, and rising production costs, farmers consistently identified climate change as a major source of growing vulnerability.

 

The researchers also found that many existing interventions, including price-based measures, have limited effectiveness when climate-related production losses continue to reduce the volume of cocoa available for sale.

 

Although initiatives such as the Living Income Differential (LID) have increased cocoa prices, many farmers continue to struggle with declining productivity and rising costs.

 

The policy brief launched at the event proposes an Eight-Point Agenda for a Producer-Centred Climate Policy. The recommendations include shifting from yield-centred policies towards producer-centred resilience, integrating climate adaptation with income support, investing in climate-smart water management, strengthening adaptation financing, improving farmer participation in decision-making, and incorporating farmer wellbeing into sustainability frameworks.

 

The researchers argue that the long-term competitiveness of Ghana's cocoa sector will increasingly depend on the resilience of its producers.

 

"Healthy and resilient farmers are the foundation of healthy and productive cocoa farms. If climate change continues to erode farmer health, labour productivity, and adaptive capacity, then cocoa production itself will become increasingly vulnerable," Dr Arhin explained.

 

Participants at the policy breakfast welcomed the findings and engaged in discussions on how government agencies, COCOBOD, the private sector, development partners, and research institutions can work together to strengthen resilience across cocoa-growing communities.

 

The study challenges conventional approaches that primarily view climate adaptation through the lens of productivity and environmental protection. Instead, it calls for a broader understanding of resilience that includes health, livelihoods, labour conditions, access to finance, water security, and social wellbeing.

 

The research was supported by the Harvard University Center for African Studies through the Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa. The broader research team includes Dr Carla Martin (Harvard University), Dr Albert Arhin (KNUST), Jose Lopez Ganem (Institute for Cocoa and Chocolate Research), Dr Amanda Berlan (University of Leicester), Richard Tetteh (KNUST), Dr Michael Ehis Odijie (University of Oxford), and Jean-Luc Kouassi (Côte d'Ivoire).

 

The researchers hope the findings will contribute to ongoing policy debates and encourage greater investment in producer resilience as a pathway to securing the future of Ghana's cocoa economy.

 

As climate pressures intensify across West Africa, the study concludes that safeguarding Ghana's cocoa future will require more than protecting cocoa farms. It will also require protecting the farmers who sustain them.

Bonn Climate Talks: Ghana takes the floor on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators

The UN June Climate Meetings has opened in Bonn, Germany, with Ghana taking the floor on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) to deliver interventions on climate adaptation, finance, and governance.

 

As negotiations opened at the 64^th Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the AGN has called for a more responsive, equitable and implementation-focused climate process.

 

Delivering the Group’s statement during the Joint SBI–SBSTA Opening Plenary, AGN Chair, Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, reaffirmed Africa’s commitment to constructive engagement.

 

He expressed concern over growing climate risks facing Africa, citing recent forecast of likely El Niño conditions and warning that worsening climate impacts threaten livelihoods and development gains across the continent.

 

“About a week ago, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) issued a warning of an 80 per cent likelihood of El Nino conditions during June-August 2026, with probabilities for continuation to at least November near or above 90 per cent, and most models suggesting at least moderate and possibly strong conditions,” said Nana Dr. Amoah. “For Africa, already burdened by severe climate impacts, a warning of worsening conditions spells catastrophe. It is of grave concern to all of us, and yet – in a process claiming urgency – we do not even have agenda items on Loss and Damage, or on National Adaptation Plans. We find a process that is insensitive to Africa's situation deeply worrying.”

 

The AGN Chair questioned the absence of agenda items on Loss and Damage and National Adaptation Plans, stressing that climate negotiations must remain responsive to countries experiencing severe climate impacts.

 

Formally called the 64^th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies under the UNFCCC (SB64), the UN June Climate Meetings are where the agenda takes shape for the UN Climate COP in November each year, this November in Antalya, Türkiye (COP31).   

 

They are held annually at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB) where UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) is headquartered. 

 

The meetings are held over 10 days, ending this year on Thursday 18 June, and are expected to have over 7,000 participants, including negotiators from Parties to the Paris Agreement (i.e. national governments), observers from civil society, real economy and sectoral leaders. 

 

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, says “leaving economies and communities exposed to climate disasters will take a wrecking ball to live”.

 

 

AGN focus at SB64

 

On adaptation, the AGN welcomed engagement under the Baku Adaptation Roadmap and the Belem–Addis Vision and emphasised that agreed indicators should support implementation and inform future Global Stocktake processes.

 

The AGN reiterated that implementation discussions must remain grounded in existing obligations under the Paris Agreement and called for progress on the Technical Task Force.

 

“We reiterate; the primary purpose of agreed indicators is to ensure we have clear and usable information feeding into the global stocktake in respect of adaptation action as well as on support needed and provided. We look forward equally to progress on composition and modalities of the Technical Task Force.”

 

On climate finance, the group reaffirmed that the Climate Finance Work Programme remains rooted in Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which places an obligation on developed parties to provide financial support to developing parties, and expressed concern that it is not adequately reflected in the agenda.

 

The AGN Chair called for a clear operational definition of climate finance that incorporates grant equivalence, additionality, predictability and accountability, pointing out the importance of strengthening the Adaptation Fund and advancing work on monetisation of the Share of Proceeds.

 

Regarding Just Transition, Nana Dr. Amoah called for balanced allocation of negotiation time to support operationalisation of the mechanism and implementation of agreed outcomes.

 

On climate and trade, Africa reiterated that climate-related measures must not undermine sustainable development and poverty eradication and raised concerns over unilateral trade restrictions and supply-chain measures that impose costs without corresponding support.

 

“We look forward to a constructive engagement on how trade measures impact the ability of African countries to pursue the goals of the Paris Agreement, while safeguarding the legitimate right of African nations to pursue sustainable development and poverty eradication. Africa is unapologetic about protecting her development space. We also cannot shy away from a decision in respect of unilateral measures and unjustifiable trade restrictions, including climate-related trade measures and supply-chain regulations that impose costs without commensurate support,” said the AGN Chair.

 

 

 

Agricultural cooperatives emerging as climate champions in rural Ghana

In the Assin Central District of Ghana’s Central Region, cocoa farmers gather not just to discuss yields and prices, but to collectively chart survival strategies against a climate that no longer follows familiar patterns.

 

Under the shade of cocoa trees in Assin Fosu, members of a local farmers’ cooperative discuss rainfall forecasts, soil health, and how to safeguard their livelihoods from increasingly unpredictable weather.

 

“We cannot continue farming the same way,” says Samuel Torbi, a leader of the Assin Fosu Cocoa Farmers’ Cooperative, a group turning shared vulnerability into collective resilience.

 

Samuel owns a 17-acre cocoa farm bordering a forest reserve. In good years, his farm produces about 300 bags of cocoa, enough to support his household. After more than 20 years in cocoa production, he says farming has remained his economic backbone. Yet climate change now poses the greatest threat to that stability.

 

“You’re supposed to plant cocoa in March, but when the dry season extends unexpectedly, the young plants die,” he explains. “Climate change is now our biggest challenge in cocoa farming.”

 

Across Ghana, climate variability is rewriting the rules of farming. According to the Ghana Meteorological Agency, average temperatures have increased by about 1°C over the past 30 years, while rainfall has become increasingly erratic. The World Bank estimates that climate change could reduce Ghana’s agricultural productivity by up to 7% by 2050 if adaptation measures are not scaled up.

 

This poses a direct threat to smallholder farmers, who account for over 60% of Ghana’s agricultural workforce and produce nearly 80% of the country’s food, according to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).

 

In regions such as the Upper East, Northern, Bono, Ahafo, and parts of the Central, prolonged dry spells, flash floods, and soil degradation are driving down yields, raising production costs, and deepening food insecurity.

 

Cocoa, Ghana’s leading agricultural export and a livelihood for over 800,000 farm families, is particularly vulnerable.

 

Cooperatives as engines of climate adaptation

 

Amid these challenges, agricultural cooperatives are emerging as a quiet but powerful force in Ghana’s climate response. Once viewed primarily as vehicles for market access and bargaining power, cooperatives are increasingly functioning as hubs for climate-smart agriculture, information sharing, and risk management.

 

Agricultural researchers note that farmer-based organizations are gaining relevance because they provide a structured platform for engagement with government agencies, research institutions, and development partners.

 

Dr. Victor Owusu, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, whose research focuses on agrarian food systems and livelihood resilience, describes climate change as a planning nightmare for farmers.

 

“The erratic nature of the weather makes agricultural planning extremely difficult,” he says. “This is where cooperatives become critical. While climate science informs policy, farmers also possess indigenous knowledge that has sustained their livelihoods for generations. Cooperatives create a space where scientific knowledge and local experience can work together.”

 

In Assin Fosu, change began with targeted training sessions supported by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ghana Cocoa Biard (COCOBOD), and local NGOs. Farmers were introduced to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices such as mulching, crop rotation, shade tree integration, improved seed selection, composting, and rainwater harvesting.

 

Abdul Rahman Ayiku Tetteh, the Pruning, Irrigation and Cocoa Management Systems Coordinator at the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of COCOBOD, describes cooperatives as essential allies in reaching farmers efficiently.

 

“Climate change is affecting production and wellbeing,” he explains. “We educate farmers on planting disease-resistant varieties, integrating shade trees, and protecting cocoa from direct sunlight. When cooperatives are involved, information spreads faster and adoption rates improve.”

 

CHED estimates that farms practicing recommended shade management and pruning techniques can improve productivity by 15–25%, even under climate stress.

 

The Assin Fosu cooperative has 72 active members, meeting monthly to review production data, welfare concerns, and business performance. Special farmer business schools provide hands-on training in climate-smart practices.

 

“We now understand that cutting down trees worsens climate stress on cocoa,” Mr. Torbi explains. “Shade trees improve soil moisture, regulate temperature, and protect yields.”

 

Beyond agronomy, the cooperative has introduced group savings schemes, bulk input purchases, and shared irrigation support, reducing individual costs by up to 20%, according to members.

 

“Before, I couldn’t afford fertilizer,” says Sala Iddrisu, a cocoa farmer and mother of two. “Now we buy together and support each other.”

 

Some members have also committed portions of their land to tree planting and carbon sequestration initiatives under REDD+ programmes, contributing to Ghana’s emission reduction targets while restoring degraded landscapes.

 

Policy shift toward bottom-up solutions

 

Experts say cooperatives are central to scaling climate adaptation across the country.

 

According to Dr. Victor Owusu, for decades, agricultural governance in Ghana has largely followed a top-down model, limiting local participation in policy design and implementation.

 

“We've realized that the top-down approach towards dissemination of information, such as climate change, availability of subsidies for farmers, including fishers, there's a big gap communication gap, most of the information or the intended materials do not get to the people who are supposed to be using this information and other materials for their work to benefit their welfare.

 

“So gradually, we are moving towards a bottom up approach where government and other agencies are now recognizing the importance of empowering local cooperatives to also be actively involved in the management and governance of agriculture, food value chain,” he observed.

 

Ghana’s Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Climate Resilient and Green Economy Strategy explicitly recognize farmer-based organizations as key actors in adaptation and mitigation efforts.

 

However, challenges remain. Access to climate finance, long-term technical support, and research partnerships continues to constrain cooperative growth.

 

Dr. Owusu says empowering farmer-based organizations and local cooperatives will get them more involved in the management of the food value chain, especially in taking interest in climate change and its ramifications on the local agriculture sector.

 

“The agriculture sector is directly under the mercy of climate change, because we talk about farming, they depend on the mercies of the weather; the rainfall and the temperature. When we talk about the fishing, it's also the same.

 

“So information dissemination is very important, when we are talking about climate change and climate information, so that these farmers will be able to use this information for their planting season and other important information that will help them to sustain their various businesses,” he stated.

 

Back in Assin Fosu, farmers are preparing for the next planting season. They are testing cover crops to restore soil fertility, composting organic waste, and experimenting with drought-tolerant cocoa seedlings.

 

“We are no longer just surviving,” Mr. Torbi says. “We are adapting and leading.”

 

As climate change tightens its grip on Ghana’s food systems, one lesson is becoming increasingly clear: resilience is not built solely through technology or central policies, but through empowered communities working collectively.

 

In that future, agricultural cooperatives are not just participants; they are climate champions, shaping sustainable pathways for rural Ghana.

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This article is written by Kofi Adu Domfeh as part of a collaborative project between JoyNews, CDKN Ghana, and the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability at the University of Ghana, with funding from the CLARE R41 Opportunities Fund.