Chairman of the Volta Coconut Farmers Association (COFAG-Volta), Togbe Dunenyo I (George Ofori), has announced that the Volta Region will host the 2026 edition of the International Coconut Festival in Ho, the regional capital, this November.
The announcement marks the first time the International Festival will be held in the Volta Region, one of Ghana’s major coconut-growing belts.
Togbe Dunenyo I made the announcement ahead of preparations for the festival on August 23, 2026, describing Ho as the perfect next chapter for the coconut story.
He clarified that the 2026 edition is the International Festival, bringing the International platform to Volta for the first time, and not just a regional fair.
The International Coconut Festival was born out of the revival of Ghana’s coconut sector.
In 2017, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) launched a Coconut Revitalization Intervention to revive the ailing industry after the devastating Cape St Paul Wilt Disease destroyed over 11,000 hectares of plantation. At the time, Ghana was ranked 14th globally among producers with 383,960 metric tonnes.
To drive this revival, the African Coconut Group (ACG) partnered with GEPA to create the festival.
The maiden edition was organised by the ACG in 2019 in Accra, bringing together exhibitors and industry players. That same year, government incorporated coconut into the mandate of the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA).
The 2022 edition was launched at Alabokazo in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region on the theme “Repositioning Ghana’s coconut sector for accelerated industrialization agenda”, with the main event held in Accra from September 20-23.
It was at this edition that GEPA announced its vision to grow the industry to USD 2.8 billion in annual export revenue.
The 2023 edition then moved outside Accra for the first time to Takoradi, as a collaborative effort involving ACG, the Western Regional Coordinating Council, GEPA and TCDA.
Since the programme began, GEPA has distributed over a million disease-tolerant seedlings covering 15,625 acres across major growing regions, Central, Western, Eastern, Western North, Volta, Oti and Bono East – generating about 350,000 jobs within the value chain.
Export earnings from desiccated coconut alone grew from $3.8 million in 2019 to $21.9 million in 2021, making Ghana the 9th largest global exporter. Ghana is now Africa’s number one coconut exporter and ranked 12th globally.
According to Togbe Dunenyo I, bringing the International Festival to Ho is strategic. Volta remains a key production hub that has benefited from GEPA’s platform.
“With COFAG-Volta’s ongoing 1,000-acre project and renewed interest from youth and women in the value chain, Ho is positioned to showcase innovation, employment and sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
Details of the November programme, including theme, exhibitors and partners, will be announced by COFAG-Volta in collaboration with national stakeholders in the coming weeks.
Source: Dada James, Contributor, Ghanaweb
