"With less money coming in, the 52-year-old Fofie in Ghana has taken the desperate step of giving part of his land to illegal sand miners, a lucrative practice driven by high construction demand since sand is used in concrete. The cost is severe, however: the sand mining makes the land infertile."
"He said annual cocoa bean yields has been declining over the years, from the past heyday of 300 bags to 50 bags in 2025, affected by factors including climate change. Fofie is one of many cocoa farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast - countries responsible for nearly 70% of the global cocoa bean supply - who are putting their land for other uses after the price of the once high-flying commodity crashed."
"Preparation allows you to mitigate the crisis. It is not that you prevent the crisis altogether. While a global commodity like cocoa beans is prone to occasional crisis, Ghanaian authorities were not prepared for one at this scale, said Edward Karaweh, former general secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union."
Cocoa farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast face severe economic hardship as global cocoa prices have crashed dramatically. Manu Yaw Fofie, a 52-year-old Ghanaian farmer, exemplifies this crisis—his annual yields have plummeted from 300 bags to 50 bags, forcing him to lease land to illegal sand miners for income despite knowing it destroys soil fertility. Ghana and Ivory Coast produce nearly 70% of global cocoa supply, making their economic stability crucial. Ivory Coast, the world's leading producer, purchased excess beans in January and slashed 2026 prices by over half. Agricultural authorities acknowledge insufficient crisis preparation, though experts note preparation mitigates rather than prevents commodity crises. Hundreds of thousands of West African farmers depend on cocoa for survival, with exports representing 40% of Ivory Coast's and 15% of Ghana's total export revenue.
#cocoa-price-crisis #west-african-agriculture #commodity-market-collapse #land-degradation #farmer-livelihoods
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