Government has launched a registration portal for the Coconut Seedling Distribution Initiative, a project aimed at boosting Ghana’s coconut production and export sector. Outdooring the portal at a press conference in Accra, the Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, Dr. Peter Otokunor Boamah disclosed that this program forms part of the government’s efforts to diversify Ghana’s export sector and tap into the global coconut industry, valued at over $22 billion.
According to him, three million elite coconut seedlings will be shared to farmers across the country, with the goal of expanding coconut farmland from 90,000 hectares to 120,000 hectares, and eventually to 150,000 hectares in the medium term.
Funded by the Ghana Exim Bank and implemented by Coconut Federation of Ghana, the vision of the project is to transform Ghana’s economy through agriculture, focusing on high-value, export-oriented commodities.
The global coconut industry is a multi-billion-dollar market, with annual production exceeding 65 million metric tons, an opportunity Ghana aims to tap into this market and increase its coconut production and export earnings leading to millions of job creation.
Economic Potential of Coconuts
The global export value of coconuts was $22.43 billion in 2024, growing at an impressive 13% per annum, and is estimated to reach $38.58 billion by 2030.
Coconut water alone represents nearly half of the global coconut market value, worth between $5.73 billion and $8.6 billion while coconut meat and by-products is worth $5.85 billion, while coconut shells and husks are valued at $950 million and $640 million, respectively.
The project is part of efforts to diversify Ghana’s export sector and reduce dependence on traditional crops like cocoa.
Registration Portal
The registration portal is accessible at www.piaa.gov.gh to all farmers, cooperatives, and young agripreneurs. The platform requires only basic details, including:
– Name
– Contact information
– Farm name
– Location
– Number of acres under cultivation
