Legal & institutional framework for cocoa production & trade in Ghana

The document outlines the complex regulatory environment of Ghana's cocoa sector, highlighting the central role of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the tensions between production targets and forest conservation. It details the hierarchy of Ghanaian law, specific primary legislation affecting land and agriculture, and the roles of various state institutions. The briefing also addresses socio-economic challenges, such as poverty and child labour, and examines international treaties and emerging sustainability standards like the Ghana Climate-Smart Cocoa Production Standard (GCSCPS) and the African Regional Standard for Sustainable Cocoa (ARS 1000).

• Ghana is the world's second largest cocoa producer, with the industry accounting for more than 14 per cent of its overall exports in 2019, valued at approximately USD 2.29 billion.
• The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) maintains a near-monopoly on the trade and export of cocoa; no person may purchase cocoa in Ghana except through COCOBOD, and exports must be authorised by the board.

APA

Martey, D., Godts, R., Akapame, C. K., & Haywood, C. (2022). Legal & institutional framework for cocoa production & trade in Ghana. ClientEarth. https://www.clientearth.org/media/bqnajojt/cocoa-research-briefing-1-legal-institutional-framework-for-cocoa-production-trade-in-ghana.pdf

Chicago

Martey, Dennis, Raphaëlle Godts, Clement Kojo Akapame, and Caroline Haywood. Legal & institutional framework for cocoa production & trade in Ghana. ClientEarth, 2022. https://www.clientearth.org/media/bqnajojt/cocoa-research-briefing-1-legal-institutional-framework-for-cocoa-production-trade-in-ghana.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martey |first1=Dennis |last2=Godts |first2=Raphaëlle |last3=Akapame |first3=Clement Kojo |last4=Haywood |first4=Caroline |title=Legal & institutional framework for cocoa production & trade in Ghana |publisher=ClientEarth |date=July 2022 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/bqnajojt/cocoa-research-briefing-1-legal-institutional-framework-for-cocoa-production-trade-in-ghana.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martey2022legal, author = {Martey, Dennis and Godts, Raphaëlle and Akapame, Clement Kojo and Haywood, Caroline}, title = {{Legal \& institutional framework for cocoa production \& trade in Ghana}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/bqnajojt/cocoa-research-briefing-1-legal-institutional-framework-for-cocoa-production-trade-in-ghana.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }